A serial offender who threatened a Sunderland Asda service station manager with a wine bottle he was trying to steal has been jailed for 10 weeks.

Ryan Richardson, 36, raised it as a weapon when the boss intervened as he tried to make off with a basket of goods from the firm’s fuel outlet in Thompson Road.

Homeless Richardson did not strike but his actions must have struck fear into his victim, District Judge Zoe Passfield said during a hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

She caged him after also hearing he had committed the offence just three weeks after being freed on licence from an earlier prison term for carrying a bladed weapon.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said Richardson has 69 previous convictions from 117 offences, including for public order matters and dishonesty.

Mr Anderson said: “The manager says that he saw the defendant come in and fill a basket with items and tried to leave without making payment.

“He said that he would put the windows out and he had a wine bottle that he had taken, and had it as if to strike a blow, but no strike was made.

“The value of the goods was about £70 but Asda can’t be more accurate because they hadn’t been receipted.

“The defendant became increasingly aggressive and because of this, the manager relented his grip. The police came alone fairly shortly afterwards, and the defendant was arrested.

“There was an attempt to interview him, but he was reluctant to do so. They tried to interview him at the door of his cell, but he wouldn’t cooperate.

“Compensation can be considered for the man who was threatened with violence.”

Richardson pleaded guilty to charges of common assault, making threats of violence and theft from a shop.

In a statement, the Probation Service said it planned to recall Richardson to prison, due to his non-compliance with the terms of his early release.

Tom Morgan, defending, told Judge Passfield she had several sentencing options, including deferring sentence so Richardson could attempt to prove he was making efforts to change his behaviour.

Mr Morgan said his client had suffered the recent deaths of several siblings and was already working with a Wearside drug and alcohol recovery service.

He added: “He does drink on a daily basis, and he has significant mental health issues which he is receiving treatment for.

“There comes a time with sentencing where it serves as a means of preventing further offences for a period of time.

“Mr Richardson has demonstrated that a custodial sentence, for whatever reason, doesn't resolve the issue that led to that offending. That may not stop you sentencing him to prison.

“If anything, it’s to his credit the fact that he has at least engaged with local drug and alcohol services for the troubles he has.”

Judge Passfield jailed Richardson for 10 weeks for common assault, six weeks for making threats of violence and four weeks for theft, the last two to run concurrently.

She also ordered him to pay £50 compensation to the Asda employee.