Sunderland nuisance banned from local shop

Darren Stokoe helped himself to two bottles from a display at the Premier Store in Grangetown, Sunderland, on April 19 and tried to leave without paying.

Newcastle Crown Court heard when a customer stood in the doorway and refused to let him leave, the 28-year-old, who moved his hand towards his pocket, warned "get out of my way" and "if you don't move I'm going to stab you".

Stokoe, who had already bought a bottle of cider from the shop that morning but had been refused the service of more, left and was found asleep in a nearby back lane by the police.

He did not have a knife at that time.

Despite the fact he may not have been armed, the shopworker, who believed he had a knife, said she "thought he was going to stab a customer or even himself".

Stokoe, was originally charged with robbery but later pleaded guilty to theft and a public order offence, which was accepted.

Prosecutor Barry Robson applied for a restraining order to keep Stokoe, who has a long criminal record, out of the shop, where he has "caused nuisance" in the past.

Judge Sarah Mallett sentenced Stokoe, of no fixed address, to 56 weeks behind bars and an indefinite restraining order to keep him out of the shop.

The judge said: "Just going into the shop creates a penalty of five years imprisonment."

Nick Lane, defending, said Stokoe "didn't have an easy childhood" and has suffered a recent bereavement that has motivated him to change.