A woman high on cocaine burst into a shop with a knife, threatening to stab her ex-boyfriend while terrified shoppers looked on in horror.
The mum of two, Laura Nicholas, stormed into a Co-Op in Leeswood, Flintshire, in pursuit of her former partner Paul Loose.
She pointed the five-inch blade at him and accused him of ruining her life
Mr Loose, who was wearing only wearing a pair of shorts managed to get past 26-year-old Nicholas to leave the shop.
NorthWalesLive reported how he then barged back in and kicked her to the floor before taking things off the shelves to throw at her.
Moments later, another customer came in and took the knife off Nicholas and put it on the counter.
Several customers were left cowering in fear following the incident, describing Nicholas' prowling through the store like a "caged animal."
Nicholas returned to the shop, armed herself with the knife again and continued to walk around brandishing it.
At Mold Crown Court, Thursday, Nicholas was told she left innocent people feeling terrified.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said: "This is a very, very serious incident. It would have been a terrifying spectacle for anybody who witnessed it."
Sion ap Mihangel, prosecuting the case, read out a statement from the shop supervisor, who said she had been unable to sleep and had to take time off work.
Judge Rowlands added: "Those who take knives on the streets with them are likely to go to prison, despite their background.
"I agree with [the store's supervisor] that you were behaving like a caged animal.
"This was a truly terrifying incident."
Defending barrister Andrew Green said Nicholas took responsibility for the incident, on the evening of April 21, in the shop on the street where she lived.
He said it “reflected a chaotic period in her life” as a result of “abusing alcohol and drugs”.
He said she “takes responsibility for what she has done" but recognised it was a "serious incident".
Judge Rowlands sentenced her to 16 months in prison and also imposed a restraining order stopping her from visiting the Co-op store in Queen Street, Leeswood, for the next three years.
Nicholas, who has two children aged nine and four years old who are no longer in her care, was given a 12 month community order in March last year after assaulting two police officers.
