A THUG who threatened to kill a shopkeeper while brandishing a meat cleaver was ‘off his head’ after drinking three litres of vodka and taking drugs beforehand.

Robert Jones claimed he only entered Tina’s Mini Market in Bewsey to hand in the weapon, which he claimed to have found behind a bin nearby.

But his threats caused enough distress that the brave shopkeeper and his colleague were forced into wrestling the 21-year-old to the floor after hitting a panic alarm.

Jones, of Feather Street in Flint, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday via videolink from prison to learn his fate after pleading guilty to charges of threatening another with a bladed article and possession of cannabis.

Here, he was told that only a custodial sentence was appropriate due to the public being ‘rightly concerned’ about the dangers of knife crime.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, told the court how on February 15 at 8.30pm, the shopkeeper’s attention was drawn to the defendant after entering his Longshaw Street shop.

Jones stood in front of him and pulled the meat cleaver from his jacket, after which he shouted: “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you.”

This caused the shopkeeper to ‘feel terrified for his life and think it would be the end of his life’.

The incident unfolded in Tinas Mini Market on Longshaw Street in Bewsey

The incident unfolded in Tina's Mini Market on Longshaw Street in Bewsey

He grabbed the defendant’s hand in an attempt to stop the meat cleaver being thrust at him, resulting in him receiving a cut to his little finger.

During the wrestle, the shopkeeper was able to shout and hit the panic alarm for assistance from a colleague in the back.

The pair managed to restrain Jones after he was held in a ‘bear hug’, to which he shouted: “I’m not coming robbing, I’m not coming robbing.”

The meat cleaver was seized and kept in a safe place until the arrival of police. Officers arrested the defendant, who was found to have in his possession a small amount of cannabis consistent with personal use.

Under interview, Jones claimed he had found the weapon in a bag behind a bin near the store and had entered the premises to ‘hand the weapon in’.

He told officers the next thing he remembered was being restrained on the floor.

Mr Blasbery revealed that Jones had one previous conviction for possession of cannabis in January, for which received conditional discharge.

Betsy Hindle, defending, said that during his four months in prison since his arrest, her client has become ‘extremely aware of how frightening’ the situation would have been for the shop workers.

“He is an individual who needs serious help and intervention, someone with thinking and problem-solving issues,” she said.

Liverpool Crown Court

Liverpool Crown Court

The cause of the incident, she explained, was receiving an ‘inappropriate and upsetting’ photo of his girlfriend with his friend after finishing his shift as an electrician earlier that day.

“This caused him to spiral to drink two or three litres of vodka and take Diazepam,” she added.

“This was not pre-meditated or planned – it was a cry for help during a mental health crisis.

“He has received support in prison which has helped a lot, he is a completely different person and is in the best head space he has been in for a long time.”

Before sentencing, judge Andrew Menary said: “Crimes involving knives, especially where threats to use them, are so serious this court will always regard it necessary to impose immediate custodial sentences unless in exceptional circumstances.

“The public are rightly concerned about knife crime up and down the country, and for that reason, there must be a sentence of custody,”

Describing Jones as a man who was ‘off his head on drink and drugs’ at the time, judge Menary jailed him for eight months.

He also approved an order for the forfeiture and destruction of meat clever and the cannabis.