Carlisle shoplifter told security worker: "I'll slice you up.'

The chilling threat was made by local man David Scott Pattinson, 30, after he and an accomplice had walked in the Asda store at Kingstown and attempted to steal a trolley crammed with goods worth almost £900, the city’s crown court heard.

After hearing about his latest spate of offending, a judge jailed Pattinson, telling him his repeated claim that he wants to change can no longer be trusted.

Jon Savage, prosecuting, described how the defendant – who has more than 125 offences on his record – walked into the city’s Asda store at Kingstown with another man on March 12.

They calmly filled a trolley with goods before taking the haul to the warehouse area at the rear of the store. “There they were stopped and challenged by a member of staff,” said Mr Savage.

“Security staff had been alerted and made their way to the rear of the store. The defendant and [the other man] abandoned the trolley and made their way towards the nearby dual carriageway.”

One of the suspects lobbed goods at the staff who were following them.

“On at least two occasions,” said the barrister, “the defendant shouted: "Come any closer and I’ll slice you up.” Both men then ran away. They were seen shortly after in the nearby McDonald’s Restaurant and were eventually found hiding to the rear of the nearby Hobbycraft store.

Two months earlier, on January 24, Pattinson, of Baird Road, Carlisle, stole goods worth £1,140 from the Boots store in Carlisle. The defendant admitted that theft, breaching his Criminal Behaviour Order that banned him from Boots, and the theft from Asda and using threatening behaviour.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said Pattinson was under pressure because of a drugs debt he owed of just over £1,000. She told the judge: “Your Honour will see that the items he stole were worth £899; it wasn’t for his own benefit but for repaying his debt.

“It wasn’t to fund a drug habit which was ongoing. He’s remained drug free since his release from custody in March.” At that time in March, said the barrister, Pattinson felt he was trapped in a ‘vicious circle’, said the barrister.

He had been diagnosed with ADHD, depression and anxiety.

Living a chaotic lifestyle, his partner – a woman 20 years older than him – was herself a drug addict and his stealing was partly to fund her habit.

He now wanted to leave the area and live in Barrow. Miss Whittlestone added: “He needs regular daily support in the community to help him beat his addiction and deal with his mental health problems.”

Jailing Pattinson for a year, Judge Nicholas Barker told him that the court’s patience was now exhausted.

On December 31 last year, 13 days after being freed by another judge who gave him a chance to change, Pattinson stole from a McColl’s convenience store and then again from an M&S store on January 25. On March 22, Judge Barker gave him yet another chance to reform.

“This time you managed 10 days without committing an offence,” said the judge, adding: “This court, David Pattinson, can no longer take your statements that you wish to change as being genuine.

“It’s no good simply saying no-one helped you. There is one person in the room who can deliver the majority of that help. It’s you. If you are not prepared to recognise that, there’s no extent of intervention that will work. You either want to stop committing crimes or you don’t.

"If you don’t you will keep appearing in front of me and I will lock you up.”