A MAN who stole an axe and brandished it in Bolton town centre has been jailed.

Bolton Crown Court heard how at 12.15pm on July 29, Steven Taylor, of no fixed abode, was seen walking into the Wilko hight street store in Deansgate, where he went down stairs to the DIY section and took an axe, worth £12, from the shelf.

The 47-year-old then removed it from its packaging and left the shop, with the axe in his hand, without paying for it.

The police were immediately informed and searched for Taylor in the surrounding area, eventually finding him with the axe, seated outside the Game shop in Victoria Square.

Prosecuting, Roger Brown said that officers had gone "towards the defendant, who had been sitting down, and while doing so he took hold of the axe.

"The police told him to drop the axe numerous times. He refused to do so."

Police then Tasered Taylor but "it had no effect on the defendant and he then proceeded to hit the floor with the blade section of the axe", Mr Brown continued.

"Again the defendant was told to drop the axe and again he failed to comply and a second Taser was used. Again it had no effect and again officers told him to drop the axe.

"Eventually he did drop it on the floor and put his hands on his head and was arrested."

Taylor was then taken into custody, searched, and was found to have a bank card and a driving license belonging to another man, which he had stolen.

Judge Timothy Stead noted that Taylor's actions had created alarm and distress, "but not serious", and emphasised the axe "was not turned on people or officers".

Defending Harriet Tighe said Taylor is "an individual who has had difficulties with substance misuse throughout his life", adding that he also "suffers from emotionally unstable personality disorder".

Sentencing Taylor to eight months in prison, for two counts of theft, one count of possession of a bladed article and a public order offence; Judge Stead said that Taylor's behaviour had been "threatening" prompting the police "to use a Taser seeing as it was a busy town centre."

However he noted that Taylor had had an "unhappy recent life", adding: "It seems that substance abuse through a chaotic period of your life was a major problem to you then."

Taylor had plead guilty to all offences at lower courts.