A THIEF was jailed after swinging a hammer at shop staff and spitting at a police custody officer.

Luke Walker, of Dijon Street, Bolton, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for affray and assaulting the officer. He had pleaded guilty to the offences as well as charges of possession of a bladed article, theft and possession of cannabis.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Walker entered the Decathlon store in Bolton and took two t-shirts before leaving without paying for them just after 9.30am on March 18.

He was seen by the store’s manager, Chris Penn, who followed him out of the shop with another member of staff. A security guard took Walker back to the shop where he was put in an office and the police called.

The court heard how Walker, aged 26, then picked a hammer off a desk in the office and began swinging it at the staff in the office.

Staff managed to get the hammer off Walker and then noticed an item up his sleeve.

When he was searched, this turned out to be a pizza knife that was about ‘seven inches’ in length. Walker claimed that this was to remove labels from clothing. The police arrived soon afterwards and when he was searched three bags of cannabis were found on Walker. When he was in police custody Walker then swore and spat at a civilian member of police staff. The court heard how Walker had a long-standing problem with drugs and stole to fuel his drug problem. It also heard he had recently suffered a personal bereavement which had affected his behaviour.

David Lees, prosecuting, said: “Mr Penn was ‘horrified’ thinking about what could have happened to him.”

Judge Timothy Clayson sentenced Walker to 10 months in prison for affray and two months in prison for the assault on the officer, with the sentences to be served consecutively.

He was also sentenced to six months in prison for possession of a bladed article and four months in prison for two counts of theft, with these sentences to be served concurrently.