A MAN who went on a booze-fuelled rampage through a supermarket smashing bottles and throwing them at customers has been jailed.

Stuart Nicholson was spotted entering the Tesco Extra in Cowley Road on the evening of Tuesday, July 21, where he began filling a basket with food, a frying pan and knives, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Genevieve Reed told the court on Monday that Nicholson then went into a cleaning cupboard and put on the purple fleece and blue trousers of a cleaner’s uniform.

She said: “When asked by one of the managers what he was doing he said ‘just going to go clean the floor’.

“He was then confronted by another member of staff, who escorted him out.”

However, a district judge heard the 38-year-old returned to the store around 8.35pm, but when confronted by security guard Abdeeq Hussein in the bread aisle, Nicholson pushed him, causing him to fall into a drinks stand.

Miss Reed said that Nicholson became aggressive, started shouting, then went to the drinks aisle and began to smash bottles on the ground, causing nearly £460 worth of damage.

She added: “He proceeded to pick up bottles and smash them on the ground.

“He drank some Tequila which he had picked up, then picked up a bottle of whisky and threw it at the exterior door, causing it to shatter.”

Customer Jamie Brooks told him to stop but was told: “Don’t be no hero, it’s not your business” and had four bottles thrown at him, two striking his arm, the court heard.

Nicholson, of Nursery Close, Oxford, admitted one count of theft of property worth £23.49, another theft, using insulting words or behaviour, two counts of assault by beating and two counts of criminal damage at a hearing in July.

Emily Stoddart, defending, said Nicholson was drinking at the time of the rampage and had been battling mental health and drink and drug problems, which had affected his memory.

She added: “He does have memory problems, alcohol use has affected his memory.

“He remembers going into the store, but has no recollection of leaving and coming back.”

Appealing for a suspended sentence, Mrs Stoddart said it would allow Nicholson to continue to address his alcohol problem.

But District Judge Tim Pattinson said that the rampage through Tesco was so serious only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

He added: “There can be no question at all that a rampage like this can only lead to an immediate prison sentence.

“The theft offences are also serious because they are repeated offences against a background of someone with no fewer than 130 previous convictions.”

Nicholson was jailed for 26 weeks for both assaults and for all the thefts.