A SHOPLIFTER who stole seven bottles of Prosecco from a Carlisle supermarket turned violent when he was challenged by two workers.

Dean Ainslie, 52, who was banned from entering the city’s Charlotte Street branch of Lidl, immediately became aggressive when the store’s deputy manager and another worker intervened to prevent the theft, magistrates heard.

The defendant has now admitted theft and two assaults.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor George Shelley described Ainslie’s offending, committed when he walked into the store at 2.30pm on March 4.

The trouble began after a staff member saw the defendant attempting to walk out of the store with a full carrier bag, making no attempt to stop and pay at the tills. Inside the bag were seven bottles of Prosecco worth £42.

When he was asked not to leave, he “squared up to” the worker involved, threatening to punch him and saying: “I’ll break your jaw.”

The worker said he feared the defendant would act on the threat and hit him.

The encounter was witnessed by the store’s deputy manager, who intervened, attempting to restrain Ainslie to prevent him attacking his colleague. “Mr Ainslie tried to walk away but then squared up to [the deputy manager], swinging punches," continued Mr Shelley.

The deputy manager responded by immediately taking the defendant to the ground to protect both himself and his colleague. Ainslie, meanwhile, yelled numerous threats, telling the workers he would come back and “do them in.”

When police later interviewed Ainslie, he gave no comment replies to the questions he was asked. The presiding magistrate told the defendant: “You attacked members of staff just because they were doing their job.”

The court heard that the defendant’s criminal record consists of 20 previous offences, including three theft and dishonestly matters. The last time he was before a court was in 2012.

Defence lawyer Tariq Khawam said the defendant, appearing before the court via a video link, had been surprised to discover that his offence would be dealt with this week as he had not been aware the hearing was due to happen.

Noting that the defendant, of East Nelson Street, Denton Holme, was remanded in custody, magistrates imposed a £140 fine for the two admitted common assaults.

Ainslie must also pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge.

Ainslie spoke during the hearing only to confirm his personal details, enter his pleas and to thank the magistrates for dealing with the case.