A KNIFEMAN who pulled out a blade in a convenience store and attacked a member of staff has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Daniel Riley was handed a 16-week imprisonment suspended for year on Monday, March 28, in connection with the altercation at the Co-op on Cotswold Road in Orford in September last year.

Warrington Magistrates Court heard that the 35-year-old had been drinking after work before he entered the shop.

The female store manager then approached him in the milk aisle and made a joke referencing a previous incident involving an allegation of theft.

Riley, of Ulverston Avenue in Orford, replied ‘what the f*** are you on about’ and ‘became quite aggressive’.

He then took a fishing knife from his pocket, holding it by the blade and keeping it within its leather sheath.

The dad-of-three – who, at the time, was living in a tent in the garden of the family home – was then ‘ushered out of the store’ by concerned workers and customers, with the door locked behind him and the police called.

Magistrates were shown CCTV footage, while a statement read out on behalf of the victim described how she had been left feeling ‘anxious’ and ‘distracted’ at work afterwards.

She had also been worried after being told by customers that Riley ‘has a reputation for being violent’.

But Gary Schooler, defending, told the court: “At the time of this particular incident, he was going through a difficult time with regards to his mental health. He was drinking to excess and had a falling out with his partner. He was sleeping in the bottom of the garden in a tent.

“It’s obvious that he took the joke the wrong way. He was clearly overreacting.

“In effect, what the footage shows is him emptying his pockets.

“He did not produce the item with the intent to cause fear of violence, but he accepts that recklessly he did cause that fear of violence.

“It’s obvious from his record that he isn’t someone who is prolifically offending or causing significant problems in the local community. On the main, he stays out of trouble.

“He’s taken steps to address the root cause of what happened that day.

“There is a clear prospect that the work he has done himself can be built upon and he can be fully rehabilitated by way of a suspended sentence.

“He regrets his behaviour and has demonstrated his remorse by making the decision to stop drinking alcohol.”

Riley, who has three previous convictions for six offences, admitted possession of a bladed article in a public place and assault during an earlier hearing and was also handed a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was told to pay £200 in compensation, a £128 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

Sentencing, magistrates panel chairman Alan Davies said: “Clearly this is a serious offence. We believe the matter has crossed the custody threshold, but we are not sending you to custody today as we believe there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“We make no secret that this bench deals with possession of a bladed article in a public place very seriously.

“It was a frightening prospect for some doing their job.

“If you come before this court within the next 12 months for any reason, you can expect the suspended sentence to be activated and you will go to custody.”

Forfeiture and destruction of the knife was also ordered.