‘Abusive’ drunk threatened to kill manager at Tesco in Longton
A DRUNKEN father who threatened to kill a supermarket manager while brandishing a knife has been jailed.
David Beardmore pulled out a Stanley knife and made a cut-throat gesture at the boss of Tesco, Longton.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 21-year-old had been drinking when he entered the store with another man on November 15 last year.
It was Beardmore’s accomplice who began abusing staff and was told to leave.
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The pair did leave, but then followed the manager back inside and began abusing him.
Prosecutor Neil Ahaji told the court: “The defendant made a gesture and pulled a knife. He held it at waist height.
“It is fair to say the manager didn’t think he would use it.
“The defendant wanted the victim to be scared.”
The court heard Beardmore, of Ashwood Terrace, Longton, has nine previous convictions for 12 offences. He admitted possession of a knife at the hearing yesterday.
Paul Cliffe, mitigating, said: “It is clear the intention was to frighten.
“The victim appears to be made of stern stuff. He didn’t appear to be frightened. It is a daft matter for Beardmore to get involved in, because it wasn’t his argument.
“This was a Stanley knife with a small blade, intended to frighten, rather than to cause injury.
“At the time of this offence it was a difficult period of his life. He had become a father, the local authority had made applications and he was finding it difficult to cope.”
The court heard Beardmore is already serving time after breaching a restraining order.
Sentencing him to a further eight months in prison, Judge Paul Glenn told Beardmore: “This offence was less than two weeks after you had been in court for possessing cannabis and almost certainly while you were on bail for committing battery.
“The manager was doing his job. You and your friend were loitering outside. You targeted him and became verbally abusive to him.
“You followed him into Tesco to start a confrontation.
“You made a ‘cut throat’ gesture, you then made a verbal threat to kill, then produced the Stanley knife.
“The intention was to frighten, but he was made of stern stuff and said he was only a little scared. Other staff were more frightened.
“Those who carry knives often end up using them, sometimes with catastrophic effects. I’m concerned in this case you were plainly drunk and out of control.”
Comments
by nelsonl
Monday, September 24 2012, 2:11PM
“justice finally done :-)”
by camband
Saturday, September 22 2012, 2:49PM
“And, of course -the supermarkets also come into that category -Legal Drug Dealers.... non-prescription.”
by camband
Saturday, September 22 2012, 2:28PM
“So he's on both is he! How unusual. Legal and illegal. But it appears it's the legal one that led to violence on this occasion.
It's obvious that the drug alcohol is a very dangerous drug indeed -and there should be more restrictions on its use. Perhaps 'anger management' assessment -which then, if 'passed fit and well to consume the drug safely, be issued with a card which must be shown to all door staff and Publicans on entering one of these legal drug-dens.”
by leglessharry
Saturday, September 22 2012, 2:09PM
“Another piece of human excrement removed from the streets of this disgraceful city.”
by warren-lloyd
Saturday, September 22 2012, 11:52AM
“OK then Mr. Cliffe, you won't mind if one pitch up with a Stanley knife an frighten you, maybe take your eye out with it or ram it in your neck or arm or leg or ribs or run it found your face a bit. It might leave a mark , but I'm sure the doctors up the A&E are more then skilled at sorting it out and know a nice plastic surgeon who could make you look half way descent again. Idiot!”