Man who fell asleep in shop threatened staff who threw him out

A man threatened to kill members of staff at an interiors store who tried to throw him out after he fell asleep, a court has heard.

Jordan Thorn, 28, went into the Jane Richards Interiors store in Dove Street, Norwich, between 1pm and 2pm before he “made a comment about a rug”.

Norwich Crown Court heard those working at the store considered Thorn’s behaviour “odd”.

Michael Peters, prosecuting, said a few minutes later Thorn was told by one of the workers at the store “come on, you can’t sleep there”.

Thorn was asked to get up on a couple of occasions and refused but then “swung a punch” towards the member of staff who had come to deal with the situation, hitting his arm.

Mr Peters said Thorn got to his feet shouting “don’t touch me, I’m going to kill you”.

Thorn repeated the threat two or three times before being escorted out of the store.

The defendant then said “don’t you know who I am” before flicking up his sunglasses and stating “I’m in the Mafia”.

The court heard Thorn was understood to have keys in his hand at the time threats were made during the incident.

Mr Peters also said that Thorn is understood to have a mental disorder.

Thorn, of North View, Barney, near Fakenham, appeared at court on Tuesday (November 23) having admitted assault by beating and affray on August 16, 2019.

Catherine Bradshaw, mitigating, said he had entered guilty pleas to the offences which “arise out of one incident”.

She said her client has mental health difficulties.

But she agreed with the conclusions of a pre-sentence report that a community order with rehabilitation activity requirement which would help protect the public as well as rehabilitate him.

Judge Anthony Bate, who said the case had been delayed because the pandemic intervened, sentenced Thorn to an 18-month community order.

As part of the order Thorn must attend up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days.