A shop raider armed with a knife threatened to slit a worker's throat then laughed and pulled "crazy faces" because he wanted to be jailed.
Andrew Lamb, who was consuming an average of eight bottles of wine a day, went into the store armed with a pink knife, which he terrified a worker with before stealing ice cream, alcohol and cigarettes. But a court heard the 49-year-old's motivation was not financial gain but rather to get locked up so he could get help to tackle his drink problem.
Newcastle Crown Court heard, Lamb, of King George Avenue, Gateshead, who has just one previous conviction, has benefitted from being remanded in custody but his victim was left terrified.
