A YOUNG woman is starting her second jail term for knife crime after she threw a ten-inch blade at police in a city centre street.

Kimberley Jane Angell was only 15 years old when she was locked up for three years for stabbing a pregnant woman from behind.

After she was released from that sentence, she armed herself with a ten-inch serrated kitchen knife, broke into the Arc Light Centre in York by climbing over its fence and rampaged through its ground floor while those inside locked themselves in bedrooms and a staff booth for safety and phoned police, York Crown Court heard.

Police cordoned off part of Clarence Street to protect the public from Angell when she emerged and sprayed her with incapacitating gas.

Bronia Hartley, prosecuting, said she responded by throwing the knife with closed eyes at two police officers. It landed behind them and they took her to the ground.

Recorder Julian Smith said: “The level of violence you threatened is worrying. The intimidation was obvious and all too clear. It seems to have been somewhat frenzied persistence.”

He jailed Angell, now 22, of no fixed address, for 15 months after she admitted affray, carrying a knife in public and causing criminal damage valued at £1,200.

Her solicitor, Liam Hassan, said Angell had a number of problems, including lack of family support, lack of accommodation and a drugs problem. In January this year, the Arc Light Centre in Union Terrace had barred her for 48 hours for having alcohol on the premises and she had been angry about it.

Miss Hartley said Angell, in a temper and armed with the knife, arrived at the centre at about 11.45pm.

Despite a staff member’s attempt to bar her entry, she got in, pulled fire extinguishers off their stands, smashed a six foot by four foot double-glazed interior window, threw down a free-standing floor lamp and stabbed fire alarms with her knife, setting them off.

Several police officers responded to the 999 call from the centre and two officers confronted her in Clarence Street as she waved the knife in a threatening way.

About 20 to 30 people watched as she ignored police orders to put the weapon down and was finally restrained and taken to Fulford Road police station.

In 2006, York Crown Court heard how without provocation or warning, Angell had stabbed a young pregnant woman in the leg.