Dad kicked out of Marks and Spencer said he'd stab shop worker 'in the skull'

A dad "let his anger and temper take control" after he was kicked out of a Marks and Spencer store and ended up in prison.

Jon Chiocchi was confronted by security staff when he was seemingly caught in the act of shoplifting. But he responded by pulling a baseball bat from the boot of his car and threatening to stab his keys "into his skull" of the member of staff.

Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Thursday, that the 48-year-old was observed by employees at M&S on Aintree Shopping Park placing food items inside his top shortly before 9.30am on July 19 last year. Chiocchi, of Nelville Road in Walton, was asked to remove the goods, but denied that he had anything stashed within his clothing before pushing worker Daniel Whitley.

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Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, described how the staff member pushed Chiocchi back in an effort to detain him with the assistance of a colleague. The suspected thief was then said to have opened his mouth and moved his head towards the complainant while apparently attempting to bite him.

Chiocchi subsequently stated that he would return the stock but added: "Come to my car. I've got something for you."

Having been escorted out of the premises, he continued to remonstrate near to the entrance and called Mr Whitley a "d***head" and a "scruffy c***". Chiocchi initially walked away at this stage, however he then turned back around after placing a key between his fingers and said: "I'm going to put this into your skull."

He proceeded to ask his victim whether he had children and told him he was "going to follow him home and find out where he lives". The father to a teenage son then pulled a wooden bat from the boot of his car and said "come here, come and get it" before driving away.

Chiocchi was subsequently arrested at his home address, having opened the door to officers "while wielding a small kitchen knife" which he then dropped. He has previous convictions for wounding, public order offences and theft from a shop.

Martyn Walsh, defending, told the court that his client's 13-year-old boy suffers from speech and language difficulties, the youngster's mum having died in 2018. He added that the incident was "relatively short but deeply unpleasant" and said: "He is not proud of himself.

"Perhaps this is a defendant who could be afforded one last opportunity with the sword of a suspended sentence hanging over him. Perhaps the defendant would see that this was his last chance."

Chiocchi - who was also said to struggle with health issues including COPD, and used an inhaler during the hearing - admitted using threatening behaviour and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He sat with his head in his hands and puffed out his cheeks as he was jailed for nine months.

Sentencing, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said: "He was merely doing his job. You did not like being confronted by him.

"You should have walked away, but you let your anger and temper take control. A store detective who is just there to do their job should not have to put up with this type of behaviour and nor should members of the public.

"You now have an established pattern of offending showing you being aggressive and threatening towards security staff in very similar situations. You have serious convictions for violence, albeit a number of years ago.

"You did not stop offending then. In my judgement, you have not learned from your past behaviour.

"You are a man who has another side to you. You clearly have a number of serious health difficulties yourself.

"You also have mental health problems. You have suffered tragedies in your life.

"You express regret and remorse for what you did. In the words of your counsel, you are not proud of what you did that day."

Chiocchi turned to a supporter in the public gallery after learning his fate. The woman told him "the last time" as he was led down to the cells.

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