A MAN who threatened security officers after making off with hundreds of pounds worth of alcohol has been jailed.

Nicholas Smith, of Ley Brook in Oakengates, Telford, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The 35-year-old admitted that on May 16 he stole alcohol worth £563 from Tesco in Broughton and that on the same date he stole alcohol from B&M in Rhyl.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court the first offence in time was the Broughton theft.

He was spotted by staff at Tesco selecting alcohol and when he went to leave without paying and was approached, he told staff not to come near him - claiming he had a blade.

He made off and was later seen in B&M in Rhyl.

A security officer confronted him when he saw him leaving with two bottles of alcohol.

Smith told him to "f*** off," and as he was chased the officer could hear bottles banging together in the defendant's bag for life.

The officer took the bag from Smith, who told him: "It's not worth it - I'll stab you. I'll knock you out."

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Smith eventually calmed down and returned to the store, with all alcohol from both stores being recovered in a saleable condition.

Smith has 43 previous convictions for 174 offences - more than 100 of which are theft or similar.

Melissa Griffiths, defending, said: "He has been frank in advising these offences were committed with the direct intention of selling the alcohol he stole to fund a drug habit.

"He is currently in prison on recall and he has admitted to the prison authorities that he has a problem with heroin.

"He sees the benefit in working with them regarding his drug problem."

Kimberly Caruana, chair of the magistrates, told the defendant his threats to the security staff were "not big, not clever."

"They are trying to protect the public," she told him.

Smith was jailed for eight weeks on each theft offence to run consecutive, making a total jail term of 16 weeks.

He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.