A man who brandished a 22cm knife in a Norwich store has been jailed for eight months.

Marcus Cork, 31, had been at the Boots store in Norwich's Riverside when he took out a knife and threatened to slash another man’s face on October 6 last year.

Terrified shoppers who witnessed him wielding the knife at the entrance, including a woman whose daughter was inside the store at the time, called 999.

Cork, of no fixed abode, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Friday for sentence having previously admitted having an article with a blade or point in a public place and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Prosecuting Simon Connelly said: “The defendant was at the entrance to the store waving a knife in the air and shouting ‘I’ll cut your face off’.

“He had already been ushered out of the store by a security guard having previously threatened a man with a knife.

“As the witnesses were calling the police they saw the man riding off on his bike. One lady’s daughter was in the store and she described being very worried for her safety as she watched the man outside with a knife.”

When was subsequently arrested Cork, who appeared in court via video link from Norwich Prison, had the knife in his backpack.

The court heard he had previous convictions including for having a knife in a public place.

Rob Pollington, mitigating, said: “This is a young man who has a number of issues with substance abuse both alcohol and illicit substances. Mr Cork explains that he was under the influence of both on the day in question.

“He accepts full responsibility for that, hence his timely guilty plea and submission of remorse.”

Jailing him for eight months, including two months for breaching a previous conditional discharge for a public order offence, judge Anthony Bate said: “It is not the first occasion you have been found in possession of a bladed article and because of previous convictions you are now subject to the mandatory minimum sentence.

“The psychiatric report explains that you have attention deficit disorder which goes some way to explain but not excuse your behaviour towards others in the recent past.”