Picture Ref: 77155-329AN ALCOHOLIC who escaped a prison sentence after promising magistrates he had given up the booze was back on the beer minutes after leaving court.

Former soldier Colin Edmonds, 39, was handed an 18-month community rehab-ilitation order by Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday after pleading guilty to causing fear of violence and a separate charge of carrying a knife.

He also admitted three charges of shoplifting and two counts of failure to surrender to the courts.

The court heard how on August 20 last year Edmonds approached staff in the car park of Tesco with a two-and-a-half-foot iron bar in his hand.

He threatened them with it, saying: "Stay out of my way or I'll hit you with this bar.

"No one's going to stop me doing what I want to do. I would be careful or I will come back and kill you."

He then turned his attention to the store's security guards and told them: "I don't like security and I'm going to stab one this evening."

Unemployed Edmonds also stole £95 worth of perfume from Debenhams on February 7. And on February 12 he took a £50 MP3 player from Dixons and a mobile phone worth £25 from a stall in town.

Staff at Dixons stopped him and when he was searched by the police they found a knife in his pocket.

Rob Ross, defending, said that Edmonds, who had been in custody since April 11 for a breach of bail, had used his time inside to kick his alcoholism.

Mr Ross said: "Being reman-ded in custody was to some extent a Godsend.

"His drinking had got out of control and for the first time in a very long while he has had a chance to completely sober up."

Mr Ross told the court that if Edmonds was sent to prison his chance of overcoming his addiction would be lost.

He said: "At this particular point in his life, if he is serious of what he has been talking about, the time to grab hold of that motivation and do something with it is now."

But the Adver caught Edmonds downing a can of Special Brew lager moments after leaving court before midday yesterday. The court had heard how Edmonds, who receives benefits, had left the army in 1992 on medical grounds and began drinking.

He has a long history of offences dating back to 1983 for criminal damage.

Mr Ross said: "Sober this man does not offend, it's as simple as that. When he is sober he is a perfectly reasonable, intelligent man."

Sentencing him to an 18-month community rehabilitation order and £100 costs, chairman of the bench Norman Ames said: "I am sure that having had a period of reflection in custody you would agree with us that it must have been very frightening for the employees to be faced with you brandishing an iron bar at them.

"However we are impressed that you have been reflecting on your alcohol problem while in custody and that you are resolved to do something about it."

Gareth Bethell