A KNIFEMAN who pulled out a kitchen blade in front of shocked shop workers at Gourock’s Sainsbury’s store has been jailed.

Stephen McHugh produced the knife after losing his temper with staff when they were unable to help him over the price of their cheapest rolling tobacco.

The 22-year-old offender’s lawyer, Derek Buchanan, told Greenock Sheriff Court said it was ‘not a rational thought process’.

Mr Buchanan said that McHugh had been trying to get taken into custody by breaching a bail order – including a night time curfew  – regarding another criminal matter. 

The solicitor said: “When that didn’t work it occurred to him that he would have to do something more serious. 

“It is a bizarre set of circumstances. He initially engages in a verbal confrontation and then he produces the knife. 

“On one view of it, he has over-achieved, because he will now be in custody for a much longer period than he had intended.”

Mr Buchanan said that his client was ‘entirely realistic’ about how the case would be dealt with.

McHugh had been subject to a strict court order to remain at home between 7pm and 7am when he pulled out the knife from his jacket pocket at 9.25pm on August 24 last year.

By the time police arrived at the Kempock Street store a few minutes later, he had made his way to the nearby Albert Hotel.

Prosecutor Lindy Scaife told a previous calling of the case: “When asked if he had anything sharp he replied that he had a knife and motioned towards his left-hand jacket pocket. A kitchen knife with a silver-coloured handle was recovered.”

McHugh pleaded guilty to breaching his bail curfew, throwing two folders at a male Sainsbury’s worker which struck him on the head and to knife possession.

His not guilty plea to a charge of brandishing the knife at the staff member and his female colleague and threatening violence was accepted by the Crown.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton told McHugh: “No doubt you are aware that carrying knives is a serious matter, no matter what the explanation is, and the court must deal with it severely.”

McHugh was sentenced to a total of 17 months imprisonment.