A recovering addict threatened to smash in the face of shop workers and produced a needle as he walked away. Mark Faulkner became agitated after stealing three Star Wars figures - worth £30 - from Game in Victoria Centre, Nottingham.
He set off the shop alarms, so staff attempted to delay him, whilst security moved in. But Faulkner, 38, of no fixed address, denied he had taken anything and walked away, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
He headed towards the shopping centre exit and staff walked alongside him. He was abusive, made threats towards members of staff as he got through the door and walked towards the road.
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"He threatened in effect to smash their face in," said Gregor Purcell, prosecuting, on Wednesday (May 17). He went to his pocket and gestured, producing the needle by his side, and walked away.
But Faulkner was arrested and went on to plead guilty to shop ltheft, using threatening behaviour, possessing a pointed article in public, and breaching two conditional discharges. His sentence was nine months, suspended for 18 months, 20 rehabilitation activity days, and nine months on a drug treatment and testing order.
Judge Stuart Rafferty KC told him: "What a waste of a life. What a waste. And what cost you paid; your marriage gone, children estranged, all because of addiction. You went to London to get a new start. That didn't work out".
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