A judge announced it was time for courts to get tough on knife crime - then freed a youth who brandished a blade at a shopkeeper.

Arron Harmer, 21, was before Judge Tony Lancaster for hurling racial abuse after he was caught shoplifting, then returning to the Biddick Hall liquor store in South Shields armed with a large knife.

Harmer stood outside the store and waved the large black handled kitchen knife while hurling racial slurs at the shopworkers inside.

Nobody was hurt during the incident on January 27, but shop staff and members of the public were terrified.

One witness said Harmer had been acting "like a madman" during the incident - which was captured on CCTV.

Harmer, of Whiteleas Way, South Shields, admitted racially aggravated harrassment and theft at an earlier hearing and was back in court to learn his fate yesterday.

Juge Lancaster told him: "One of the matters that concerns courts presently is the fact young people like you seem to arm yourselves with knives for the slightest excuse in order to threaten or actually harm other people.

"It is becoming a matter of grave concern to courts, the occassions when youths are involved in knife crime.

"In my view the time has come where the court should use its sentencing powers to put a stop to it, otherwise nobody is going to get the message that the courts wont tolerate behaviour involving knives, whether threatening with a knife or using a knife."

Despite his comments Judge Lancaster then sentenced Harmer to 12 months imprisonment, but suspended the jail term for 12 months with supervision.

THe judge told him: "Having regard to the fact one is talking here of a relatively short sentence, it is sensible to suspend it to give you the opportunity to work with the probation service."

The court heard how the incident happened after Harmer was caught shoplifting a #15 crate of beer.

Brave shop staff gave chase and Harmer dropped the cans before challenging the workers to a fight while racially abusing them.

He then went to a nearby house and armed himself with the knife before heading back to the shop.

Defence barrister Bob Spragg said Harmer has been out of trouble since the incident and has little recollection of what happened that night.