A burglar who broke into a Carlisle sandwich shop threatened to blow it up when confronted by police, a court has heard.
However the threat by Michael Sirey Parker, 34, of Warwick Road, was said by his own defence solicitor to be laughable, as the gas cooker he threatened to blow up was in fact electric.
The incident happened at Blackwell Bites sandwich shop on Blackwell Road in Currock on March 19.
Parker pleaded guilty to threatening to damage or destroy the shop and burglary when he appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today.
Prosecutor Rachel Dixon said he had broken into the shop and put items of food and keys for an adjacent funeral directors into a bag.
When police arrived they spoke to him through the broken window and warned he would be tasered.
Parker said he was turning on the gas cooker in the shop and would light it if officers attempted to taser him.
Police were said to be genuinely scared he would light the gas, putting themselves and members of the public in danger.
Defence solicitor David Wales said: “His threat to blow up the shop was somewhat laughable given that he was attempting to blow up an electric cooker.”
He added that Parker had been drinking prior to the offence and taken street drugs in an attempt to control his anxiety following the death of his partner.
He had broken into the shop to get something to eat and panicked when police arrived.
Magistrates sentenced Parker to a 24-month community order with a six-month alcohol treatment and 20 rehabilitation activity days.
He has also been ordered to £175 compensation, a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
