Lout threatened shop worker with hammer

AN angry lout pulled out a hammer after telling a supermarket worker he would “smash his face in”.

Anthony Nichol turned aggressive when the Asda security guard informed him the store would soon be closing. The 35-year-old, who has racked up 176 convictions on his lengthy criminal record, then made the threat before the worker managed to shut the entrance doors and lock him out.

But Nichol didn’t walk away and instead pulled out a hammer, which he later claimed he was carrying because he’d been doing work on his shed.

Nichol, of Dugdale Court, in Kenton, was arrested and was due at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to face an public order allegation but he failed to show up as he was

“feeling sick”.

Instead, his solicitor, Lewis Pearson, entered a guilty plea to the charge on Nichol’s behalf.

The court heard that Nichol was with a female in Asda, in Gosforth, at around 4pm on November 27 last year. A security guard began to follow the pair after staff had informed him that they were acting suspiciously. Both turned aggressive when told the store was closing and when the doors were closed and locked, Nichol appeared to pull a metal object from his pocket. The police were called and he was found to have a small hammer on his person.

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and Nichol was released on unconditional bail to appear at the same court on March 17.