A drunken Ammanford man went shopping for more alcohol with a knife in his back pocket, a judge heard today.

Mark Griffith, aged 37, ended up crashing to the floor as he tried to lift another box of Budweiser beers from a shelf.

Griffith, of Betws Road, admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place and criminal damage.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court how on August 10 Griffith became heavily intoxicated and set off to buy more booze.

Customers in the Londis store in Park Street, Betws, saw the knife sticking out of his back trouser pocket and approached him.

Griffith produced the knife but did not use it to threaten anyone.

Staff refused to serve him and he made his way to the nearby Tesco store.

Staff there heard a loud crashing sound and found Griffith lying among smashed bottles.

He was told to leave and staff member Rebecca Sweetman noticed him walking out of the store with the knife in his hand.

Police identified Griffith from CCTV images and he was arrested at his home.

Judge Keith Thomas told Griffith he had been so drunk he could not remember anything about the day.

“Knives in the hands of people who do not have control over what they are doing cause grave concern to the courts,” he added.

Griffith was jailed for six months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also placed under a curfew to stay indoors between 8pm and 4am for the next three months.

Judge Thomas said he noted Griffith had been under a community order at the time for earlier offending.

“You are pushing your luck,” said the judge