Man jailed after threatening Tesco manager with wine bottle

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 14:26 · Archive

John Lawrence was jailed after threatening a Tesco manager with a wine bottle during an incident in Barrow.

John Lawrence, 43, of Craven Park Court, Barrow, was sentenced at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to common assault and theft from a shop. The incident occurred at Tesco on Rawlinson Street in Barrow on 30 June at 4:45 pm.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre outlined the facts: Lawrence was verbally abusive towards staff and smashed a bottle of wine on the floor. When staff intervened, he took hold of another bottle of wine and held it behind his neck, threatening the manager. CCTV footage captured him shouting: 'If you phone the police, I will hurt you within 24 hours. Do you understand?'

The store manager, who was working as shift leader, told police in her victim impact statement: 'The incident left me feeling scared and anxious. I had to take regular breaks. He had the capability of hurting myself and my colleagues.'

Lawrence had 20 previous convictions for 41 offences. His solicitor, Trystan Roberts, told magistrates that 'a great deal has happened since this time' and that the defendant 'was clearly heavily under the influence at the time of this offence' and 'has showed an appropriate amount of remorse'. The court heard Lawrence was on a community order at the time of the assault.

How it is being reported

• JAILED: Man ‘terrified’ Tesco manager with wine bottle in shop assaultCumbrian has been jailed after he ‘terrified’ a supermarket store manager after arming himself with a bottle of wine.Cumberland News · 14 Nov, 13:58
• JAILED: Man ‘terrified’ Tesco manager with wine bottle in shop assaultA BARROW man has been jailed after he ‘terrified’ a supermarket store manager after arming himself with a bottle of wine.NW Evening Mail · 14 Nov, 06:00

In this story: John Lawrence · South Cumbria Magistrates' Court · Tesco · Barrow

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