RAF veteran threatened to kill shop workers the same day he walked free from court over lewd abuse of Greggs employee

Paul Cotton, aged 48, was causing chaos in Shifnal just hours after receiving a suspended jail term for yelling at a female Greggs worker, who was emptying the bins, to "show us your t*ts".

Presenting the facts of the first incident, prosecutor Simon Hanns told Shrewsbury Crown Court that Cotton was sleeping rough in Wolverhampton city centre at the time when he spotted the employee outside the Market Street bakery.

"He shouted 'show us your t*ts' three times."

When the employee said no, he continued shouting at her before he told her to "f*** off", Mr Hanns said.

That offence took place on July 13 this year.

Cotton, who pleaded guilty to a charge of using insulting words to cause harassment, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on July 16 to an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, as well as being ordered to pay £50 compensation to the Greggs worker.

However, the very same day he was sentenced, he headed to Shifnal to abuse more retail workers.

At around 5.18pm he went to the Co-op in Bradford Street where he asked to be served alcohol but was refused.

Cotton asked the shop worker about knives before telling him he was "going to f***ing do him," Mr Hanns told the court.

He went to fetch a knife and told the shop worker: "I'm going to f***ing kill you!"

Shortly after, Cotton went into Shifnal Wines, an off-licence which is also in Bradford Street, and asked for "gas".

The shop worker refused to serve him before Cotton told people in the store: "You're all f***ed!"

"He made further threats," said Mr Hanns. "He was holding a smashed bottle and threatened to kill the injured party [the shop worker]." Mr Hanns said there were children in the shop at the time.

Cotton, of no fixed abode, was arrested shortly afterwards and gave a no comment interview to police.

For the Shifnal offences, Cotton pleaded guilty to common assault, making threats to kill and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He has 50 convictions for 99 offences "across the full gamut" of crime, including dishonesty offences and breaches of court orders.

Oliver King, mitigating, accepted the offences were "very serious", but urged Recorder Ben Williams to consider that there was "no suggestion he made any lunge or movement" towards the man in the off-licence.

He added that Cotton was an RAF veteran who had experienced abuse by his father and bullying in the workplace.

He said Cotton won a "best recruit" award in his RAF career and became an engineer, but bullying meant he had to leave due to the impact on his mental health.

"As the cracks in his life became chasms, he filled them with alcohol and butane gas rather than getting the help he needed," said Mr King.

Recorder Williams told Cotton, who had become tearful: "It seems to me that you are at a turning point in your life.

"I saw how your head was down when the last matters [the Greggs incident] before these were read out. It seems you are ashamed of that behaviour."

"Yes, definitely, your honour," replied Cotton.

"It seems to be a side of you that comes out when you are drunk, high or both," said the recorder.

He sentenced Cotton to two years in prison. It is expected Cotton will serve half of the time in custody and the remaining half out on licence.