A drunk man's attempt to buy food for a homeless stranger ended badly when he lost his temper with the store's staff.

Thomas James Hall, 32, from Warwick Road, Carlisle, behaved aggressively towards a security worker at the city's St Nicholas Gate Asda store on December 22 last year.

At the city's Rickergate magistrates' court, Hall admitted using threatening and abusive behaviour towards the security worker and another member of staff.

Prosecutor Pam Ward outlined how Hall walked into the store at around 8.30, with another man and when approached by a member of staff he said to the man: "Why are you following me?"

The worker was alarmed by the aggressive tone of the defendant, who was clearly drunk. The defendant told him: "You can't take me out."

When challenged by a security worker in the store, Hall continued to be verbally abusive, strutting around in an aggressive with his arms held out, said Mrs Ward.

He then turned towards one of the workers and said: "I'm going to smash your face in."

Police arrived and after a short chase across the supermarket's car park they arrested the defendant.

Defence lawyer Lauren Heasley told the court: "Mr Hall was doing a good turn for somebody at Christmas and he felt aggrieved that he was being followed.

"But he accepts he didn't go about it in the right way."

She said the defendant accepted he had anger management issues which need to be addressed.

Magistrates imposed a community order with a requirement to complete 50 hours of unpaid work in the community. He must also pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.