"THE best thing is to put metal bars between you and any other kind of bar," York's most senior judge told a drinker.

Homeless Mark Davies, 30, pleaded guilty to stealing £94 of spirits from Marks and Spencer, assaulting an emergency worker by kicking a police sergeant and carrying a Stanley-like knife in public.

He has 57 previous convictions including threatening a person with a blade, assaulting police and other violence.

For him, Chelsea Brooke-Ward said he was an alcoholic.

"Quite clearly alcohol is a root cause of this defendant's offending," she said.

Davies was jailed for 13 months at York Crown Court.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told him: "You are a dyed in the wool alcoholic criminal and will continue to commit crimes until you get off the booze.

"The best thing is to put metal bars between you and any other kind of bar."

Muneeb Akram, prosecuting, said Davies took five bottles of spirits out of Marks and Spencer's store in Newborough, Scarborough on November 2, 2021.

He was stopped as he left the store and police called.

The sergeant found the knife in Davies' pocket and he kicked the officer.

Davies said the knife was to harm himself.