Thug stole car from elderly couple, harassed his partner and attacked Morrison's security guard with scissors

Grant Barratt also bombarded his ex-partner with abusive phone calls and stole a car from an elderly couple as they were about to go to hospital.

Barratt was jailed for 34 months at Leeds Crown Court over the spree of offences which took place last year.

Lydia Carroll, prosecuting, said Barratt and another man were drunk when they entered the Morrisons store in Pontefract on September 24 last year.

A security guard warned the pair to behave themselves on their way into the store.

The 34-year-old was seen walking around the store eating a chicken which he got from a takeaway counter.

The defendant put a bottle of gin into his inside jacket pocket before walking through the self-checkout area without paying for the items.

A security guard asked Barratt to hand over the items but he refused and tried to run off.

Barratt took out a pair of scissors and made a stabbing motion towards the man.

Ms Carroll said the security guard was not injured by the weapon but his uniform was damaged.

Police were called and he was arrested.

The prosecutor said Barratt harassed his former partner in February last year.

The defendant and the victim have a son together.

He was the subject of a restraining order at the time he made a series of abusive phone calls to her and left distressing voice messages.

He drove off in the vehicle and was arrested after a police chase in which he drove dangerously, reaching 80mph in a 30mph area.

Barratt, of Spawd Bone Lane, Knottingley, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, breach of a restraining order, common assault, two counts of theft and possession of a bladed article in public.

Jane Brady, mitigating, said Barratt pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage and accepted he must face a custodial sentence.

Ms Brady said the offending took place at a time when he was drinking heavily and struggling to cope with a bereavement.

Barratt was also disqualified from driving for four years, seven months.