A KNIFE-wielding shoplifter who insulted a black store worker has been jailed.Light-fingered Louise Heath admitted possession of a weapon and stealing from Tesco on May 10.

A KNIFE-wielding shoplifter who insulted a black store worker has been jailed.

Light-fingered Louise Heath admitted possession of a weapon and stealing from Tesco on May 10. She also admitted racially aggravated harassment.

Heath, 24, of Pheasant Road, Ipswich, was spotted stealing a DVD and kitchen knife from the Tesco store at the Copdock interchange and chased to a nearby car park.

Tesco staff cornered her in the Burger King car park where she pulled the knife out of her sleeve and held it in front of her, prosecutor David Taylor told South East Suffolk Magistrates Court.

She then insulted one of the black members of staff.

Although the staff managed then to calm her down, when police arrived she became aggressive and abusive and kicked out at a woman officer three times. She admitted assaulting the police officer.

The court heard on a separate occasion Heath attempted to steal two pairs of jeans on April 29, a charge she admitted.

Ian Duckworth, mitigating, said Heath accepts she went to Tesco to steal so she could get some money "to get by".

District Judge David Cooper sentenced her to a total of 63 days, which included seven days for the theft and 14 days for the four other offences.

No one was injured in the incident.