A judge has ordered a psychiatric report to be prepared on a man who drank up to 10 pints of lager before brandishing knives in an Ipswich town centre shop causing it to be evacuated.

Matthew Dawson, of Mackintosh Close, Ipswich, sparked a police emergency response in July after wandering around Wilko in Upper Brook Street stabbing paint cans The 33-year-old was due to be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court today (Wednesday) after pleading guilty to having kitchen knives in a public place and threatening behaviour in relation to the same incident.

Recorder Richard Atchley told Dawson today the offences he had admitted were very serious and he had behaved in a “very frightening”way.

“The public has a right to be protected,” said the judge.

He said that because of Dawson’s previous mental health issues he wasn’t prepared to sentence him without a full psychiatric report being prepared on him. “I’d like to put you out of your misery by sentencing you today but it isn’t the right thing to do,” he added.

Recorder Atchley adjourned the case for sentence for seven weeks until the week commencing October 23.

At an earlier hearing a court heard the offences occurred on July 5 at around 5.20pm.

A stock supervisor at Wilko was alerted by a security alarm and noticed Dawson on the first floor carrying ten knives which he had removed from the store’s shelves.

Dawson had then started stabbing items, including tins of paint, and it was decided to evacuate staff and customers from the premises until police arrived.

CCTV images showed Dawson walking around the shop carrying knives.

Police with tasers arrived at the scene and Dawson handed himself over to officers.

During police interviews Dawson said he had been drinking in The Cricketer’s public house in Crown Street earlier in the day and had consumed eight to ten pints of Carlsberg.

He said that in the past he had taken medication for mental health issues.

Dawson told officers he didn’t normally drink alcohol and couldn’t remember leaving the pub or what happened after that.

The court heard that Dawson had no previous convictions..

Recorder Atchley released Dawson on bail on condition that he doesn’t enter Wilko in Upper Brook Street and doesn’t drink alcohol in a pub.