A CAREER criminal with more than 100 offences on his record is starting his latest jail sentence for a terrifying knifepoint robbery at a Boots store.

John Defty - described in court as "almost institutionalised" - pulled the blade on a shop assistant as he tried snatch electrical goods for hairdressing.

The attempted robbery in May was the latest in a long line of offences the 30-year-old committed within a fortnight of being released from prison.

Teesside Crown Court heard that he had no money, faced being evicted from his home and went on a spree to steal goods to sell to pay his rent.

Defty fled from the store at Teesside Park and later that night tried to swipe electric and manual razors as well as blades from a Tesco shop.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said there were a further five shoplifting offences at supermarkets and chemists for razors and toiletries over three days.

The 23-year-old assistant who was lunged at with the blade said in a statement that she thought she was going to be badly harmed and is still affected.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told Defty: "People who work in shops are deserving of protection and they will be given some protection from the courts.

"It is said you were not intent on using the knife to threaten, but when you were confronted by that shop assistant, you were very quick to produce it.

"It must have been a terrifying ordeal for that poor woman. There was some planning because you went in a number of times, trying to see what you could steal."

Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, told Judge Bourne-Arton: "There is not a great deal positive to say about Mr Defty. He has been almost lawless for 15 years.

"When he put that knife in his pockets to go shoplifting, he didn't do so with the intent of frightening anyone. He planned to use it to cut off security tags."

Mr Soppitt said there were "early green shoots of recovery" because while he has been behind bars on remand, Defty has got a job as a prison gardener.

"He is almost a man who is institutionalised, but for the first time he is taking educational courses. He has never done that in his life before."

Defty, of Jubilee Street, North Ormesby, admitted attempted robbery, having a blade, theft, and asked for five other thefts to be taken into account.

He also pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and witness intimidation which relate to incidents in October last year.

The court heard that he attacked a man in his home, and days later rode past the house on his bike and told him: "Get out of North Ormesby, you grass."

Defty - who had 103 offences on his record before the spree, including three for robbery - was jailed for a total of three years and ten months.