Man assaulted shoppers in 'frightening ordeal'

George Smith was jailed for assaulting members of the public in Peterborough city centre

A 28-year-old man who assaulted and threatened shoppers in a "frightening ordeal" has been jailed.

George Smith of no fixed address was arrested in St Peters Road, behind Peterborough Town Hall, on 29 December.

Police said Smith grabbed a knife from a market stall in the city centre before picking up the till and running away with it. He returned with the till and dropped the knife before heading into Café Nero.

He then picked up another knife from a table and threatened a member of the public before stealing four bottles of drink from a fridge.

He made his way to the back of the town hall, where he was seen to try to get into numerous cars and got into the back of a Vauxhall Astra which two women were sat in.

Fearing for their safety, the women got out of the car and members of the public intervened in an attempt to get Smith out of the car.

He managed to get into the driver’s seat but was blocked from driving off by members of the public who stood in front of the car until police arrived.

He was charged with assault, interfering with a motor vehicle, criminal damage, theft from a shop and possession of a knife in a public place.

He was also charged with two counts of racially aggravated assault relating to incidents where he shouted racial abuse and spat at a Queensgate security guard on two separate occasions last year.

Smith appeared at Huntingdon Crown Court, where he was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison after previously admitting all offences.

PC Sam Pickworth, who investigated, called it a “frightening ordeal”.