A KNIFEMAN who smashed up a city centre takeaway and terrorised its staff has been jailed.

Jason Francis Smith made one employee fear he would be killed and caused thousands of pounds of damage at Middle Feast on Lendal, York Crown Court heard.

Richard Canning, prosecuting, said the 45-year-old serial criminal was forcibly ejected when he started trashing the takeaway but quickly returned after arming himself with the knife.

Smith has already served lengthy sentences for the knifepoint robbery of a York bank manager and an attempted knifepoint robbery of a Clifton bookmaker's among other prison terms. He has 143 previous convictions.

York Press: Middle Feast, Lendal

"It seems you have not learnt your lesson from all your sentences," the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told him.

"You must understand and the public must understand those who wield and threaten people with knives have to go to prison. I would be failing in my public duty if I didn't impose an immediate sentence."

Smith, of St Mary's Terrace, Clifton, pleaded guilty to threatening the employee with a knife and criminal damage and was jailed for 18 months. He has recently finished a 44-week prison term imposed at York Magistrates Court for shop theft and other offences.

Mr Canning said an associate of Smith was selling a bike to the employee at the takeaway at 10.30pm on March 2, 2021. He demanded more money, and an argument started.

A second member of staff asked the associate to leave, the bike seller objected violently and Smith arrived, said Mr Canning.

Smith threw plates and food around, was ejected and returned, using his knife handle to break the door.

"The complainant was scared he was going to be killed," said Mr Canning.

In a personal statement, the employee said he felt Smith had lost control of himself and that the knifeman didn't care if the employee was killed.

The employee added that after initially being angry about the incident, he now hoped Smith would get the help he needed.

The second employee used a skewer to disarm Smith, but Smith picked up his knife and the incident continued.

He and his associate left when police arrive with the bike that had been paid for.

Two fridges and chairs had been trashed, food and sauces smeared on the wall and plates had been broken. Altogether the damage cost £4,000 to repair.

Officers found the knife on a nearby shop window and Smith was identified by CCTV.

For Smith, Andrew Semple said he had been on "merry-go-round of custody, being released, offending again, being in breach (of court orders) and being returned (to prison)".

But he had been making progress under supervision following his latest release from prison.

He had been homeless throughout his adulthood but had finally got accommodation through the Making Every Adult Matter programme.