A 37-year-old man frustrated with the delay in getting benefits took his anger out on a glass window as he left Gloucester Job Centre in Spa Road by smashing it with his elbow, a court heard on Wednesday (December 13).

Prosecutor Daniel White explained to Gloucester Crown Court that Justin Francis had gone to the Gloucester Job Centre on July 20 to sort out his benefits because they had recently been stopped.

"He engaged with the staff behind the counters in a cordial manner, but when the appointment ended he made threats, saying 'If you don't get this sorted I will smash up this place', and on the way out he used his elbow to crack the glass on a window as he left the building," the prosecutor said.

"Francis was followed out of the centre by a security guard and when challenged he pulled a knife from his clothing and made threats to stab him before walking off.

"The incident was reported to the police and officers found Francis at a nearby address and arrested him and he was found in possession of the knife in his pocket."

The court was told about a second incident involving the burglary of a shed in the garden at his mother's house on October 11, 2023. Francis' mother Hilary returned to her Chequers Road home shortly after 8pm and realised her side gate had been opened and the shed had been broken into.

A hedge trimmer and four boxes of power tools had been stolen. She called the police and a neighbour's CCTV captured the incident that occurred at 3.59pm and involved two men. Later in the evening Francis handed himself into Barton Street police station.

The court was told that Francis had been prevented from contacting his mother by any means due to a bail condition in relation to the burglary, but on October 22 he turned up at her address and demanded a cigarette from her. Francis' mother called the police, but he had left before officers arrived.

Francis was later arrested in Eastgate Street on the same day, and was found in possession of 0.45grams of cocaine, valued at around £20, and taken back to court for breaching his bail conditions and was later released on the same conditional bail.

Mr White added: "On October 31, Francis returned to his mother's address again and spoke to her and his daughter who both told him that he shouldn't be here. He asked his mother for some food and a cigarette because he was homeless. She replied that she shouldn't be talking to him and asked him to leave. However, she did feel sorry for him and gave him some food and a cigarette, and he sat in the back garden eating it.

"Francis' daughter told him his behaviour was disgusting and warned him that he was putting their family at risk due to his use of drugs. His daughter said in a statement that Francis now values drugs more than he does for his family.

"Francis returns to the family home again on November 2, just after midnight and acts in an aggressive way. He throws stones at his mother's bedroom window at the rear of the property. She knew it was Francis, because he had done this before. She activated the police panic alarm and his daughter dialled 999.

"Francis was subsequently arrested and was found in possession and remanded in custody by magistrates."

The court was told that Francis has 17 previous convictions for 32 offences.

Steven Young defending explained that his client was under no illusion that he would receive a custodial sentence and he reminded the judge that Francis had pleaded guilty to all charges at the magistrates' court.

Mr Young added: "Francis was recalled to prison in March this year and spent an additional four weeks in custody, during which time his father died. He was released in time for the funeral. Up to this point the Francis family had been close knit unit but had become very cross and angry about Francis' behaviour over the past two years and developed a drug habit which has changed his demeanour.

"Drugs has had a significant effect on Francis and all his offending are drug and alcohol related. When he was released from custody, he lived with his mother, but because of his use of drugs was causing tension among other family members.

"He was thrown out and was made homeless. He began sofa surfing with not the best of people and living rough. He had previously applied for benefits, but this had been stopped and had gone to the Job Centre to try and resolve the situation.

"But his method of trying to deal with this was completely in appropriate and wasn't being given the help he needed and left in an angry mood. But in his anger, he broke a window as he was leaving.

"He was living a chaotic lifestyle and has been remanded in custody since November 4. He feels he hasn't had the profession help he felt he needed."

Francis admitted threatening a person with a bladed article at Gloucester Job Centre on July 20, 2023 and criminal damage valued at £420 on the same date.

Also he admitted committing a burglary of a shed on October 11, 2023, and possessing a quantity of cocaine on date and two charges of harassment without violence between October 10 and November 2, 2023.

Judge Rupert Lowe told Francis: "When you were released from prison, you immediately went off the rails and returned to your class A drug addiction. Your benefits were stopped, and you reacted badly.

"You've been putting the female members of your family in fear as well as threatening a security officer with a knife."

The judge sentenced Francis to a two-year period of imprisonment and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife and drugs.