A KNIFE carrying man threatened to kill everyone in a Lovely Lane shop while heavily intoxicated.

Phillip Connor struck at the Co-operative store on October 18 at 7am while under the influence of medication and alcohol.

The 40-year-old threatened to kill the shop assistant and told her he had a knife while wearing a hooded top and scarf covering most of his face.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday how he approached the woman behind the counter and said: “I have a knife, I’m going to kill you and everyone in the shop.”

The shop assistant called for her supervisor.

Connor, of Leicester Street, Whitecross, then grabbed three bottles of wine on a display shelf and ran out of the store.

Police soon arrived and viewed CCTV footage to track him.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said: “An officer found the defendant in a yard where he was drinking from a bottle of wine with the other two at his feet. “The officer also noticed he had dropped a black sock on the floor and found another at the scene. The defendant appeared to be wearing socks on his hands in the CCTV footage.”

Police searched a bag he had and found a kitchen knife too.

After being arrested Connor, who had a history of small crimes with his last conviction for shoplifting in 2010, said he was ashamed and embarrassed by what he had done.

Gerald Pachter, defending, said: “He was heavily intoxicated when it happened. The knife wasn’t used or brandished or seen during the robbery. He didn’t take the knife purposefully, he has been in Warrington for some time and takes the knife out because he gets bullied.”

“He has been in custody now for 12 weeks and had a chance to clean up his act. He’s using his time in prison wisely, he’s off drink and off the drugs.”

Sentencing him Judge David Hale said: “The worst part is what you say. I don’t suggest for a moment you intended that but the people to who that was said that must be pretty terrifying.”

He was handed a three year sentence for the robbery and 12 months in prison to run concurrently for possession of the knife after pleading guilty to both offences.