A SHOPLIFTER who held a knife to his arm and threatened to cut himself if he was not allowed to leave has been jailed for eight months.

Darren Kenny was caught by store detectives at Lidl in King Street, Blackburn, trying to make off with coffee he had not paid for at around 5pm on April 4.

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But while they waited for the police to arrive, Kenny took a knife from the kitchen and held it to his arm, threatening to cut himself if he was detained any longer.

Kenny, 30, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 17, was allowed to leave the store but as security guards followed him he again held the knife to his arm, making further threats.

As he crossed the car park at the Bank Top store he damaged a customer’s car, Preston Crown Court heard.

Kenny pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place, theft, criminal damage and a public order offence. The court was told at the time of the offence he was subject to supervision by the Probation Service but had a poor record for complying with court orders.

Since his arrest, Kenny has spent time in a mental health unit and been released.

However, he has become homeless due to difficulties at his temporary accommodation.

Judge James Adkin, sentencing, said: “Your previous convictions reveal a life of committing offences to fund your drug addiction.

“You have 89 offences on your record.

“Bearing in mind the history of this offence and your offending history, the imposition of a further community order on you won’t do you any favours.

“Although you appear to be taking some modest steps to address the problems that you have, at the time of this offence there was a significant amount of help on offer to you that you did not take.”

He jailed Kenny, of no fixed address, for eight months.