Shocking footage shows an armed robber disguised as The Joker causing terror in a Morrisons supermarket by brandishing a knife and shouting 'Do you want to die?'.
Peter Braithwaite, 31, entered the supermarket in Jarrow, South Tyneside on July 8 with his face painted as the Batman villain.
When staff tried to stop him from leaving because he had not paid he pointed his blade at them and threatened to stab them.
Braithwaite then stormed out of the supermarket with a trolley full of groceries and took it to his home nearby.
Shop CCTV captured Braithwaite with his face painted as the sadistic criminal character, dressed all in black and carrying a black backpack.
At Newcastle Crown Court, Braithwaite, from Jarrow, admitted robbery and was jailed for 40 months today.
Sentencing him, Recorder Jamie Hill KC told Braithwaite: 'This was a terrifying incident, essentially threatening to stab several people who were trying to do their job.
'I realise you have come to understand and be remorseful about this and when you have spoken to professionals you may not have complete memory of exactly what you did, but I am sure those people who were there in Morrisons will never forget it.'
Peter Braithwaite entered a Morrisons supermarket with his face painted as The Joker
He shouted at staff 'Do you want to die?' as they tried to stop him stealing groceries
Staff were terrified by Braithwaite with one now feeling 'complete dread' tackling shoplifters
Recorder Jamie Hill KC at Newcastle Crown Court jailed him for 40 months for robbery
Kevin Wardlaw prosecuting said Braithwaite told staff to 'speak to your manager' before producing his knife with a six-inch blade.
He said: 'The defendant had his face painted to resemble a Batman character, The Joker, and was seen pushing a trolley containing various groceries.
'The defendant was heard to make comments: "Do you want a bit? Do you want to get stabbed? Do you want to die?" while pointing the knife towards staff and caused them to back away.'
The court heard witnesses described being in fear and a security guard believed he and his colleagues would come under violent attack.
One worker said they now experience 'panic and anxiety' at work and although they were never bothered before about confronting shoplifters, they now feel 'complete dread' about it.
Braithwaite was caught on CCTV threatening staff with a knife while disguised as the Batman villian
Morrisons in Jarrow, South Tyneside where Braithwaite threatened staff dressed as The Joker
The worker said: 'I keep thinking about the moment when the offender with the painted face pulled a knife out and pointed it towards me asking if I wanted it.
'He looked so frightening, his eyes were bulging. I believed I was going to be stabbed.'
Robin Turton, defending, said Braithwaite, who has mental health problems, now fully understands the impact of what he did and is sorry for it.
