A MAN who brandished a pick axe handle outside in a North-East nightspot has been jailed for a year.

Anthony Dixon, 25, threatened revellers at the Union bar in Consett, County Durham, believing a gang of men from Newcastle who had "jumped him" were in there.

Dixon, of Henley Gardens, Consett, appeared before Durham Crown Court today, (Friday, October 17) to be sentenced for this and a string of other offences.

He admitted possessing an offensive weapon on June 20 during an earlier hearing at the court on October 6.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said: “He was seen to be waving it at people inside.”

Dixon previously admitted two counts of theft on September 4 and 6 when he stole televisions from Asda in Stanley and Tesco in Consett to pay a drug debt.

Dixon was also charged with causing damage to a police cell by defecating in it and smearing faeces on the door and lens of the CCTV camera after his arrest on September 6.

He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence he received for burglary, theft and criminal damage as well as two conditional discharges imposed for assault and shop theft.

The court heard he has 36 previous convictions for a total of 75 offences.

He read out a letter he had written for the judge, promising to mend his ways if he was spared prison.

Dixon said: “I have got the motivation to change and turn my life around.”

But Judge Robert Adams said his only option was to send Dixon to prison as well as imposing a five anti social behaviour order, banning him from public drunkenness.

He said: “Although I am very sympathetic to your position, I would be failing in my public duty if I did not send you to custody.”