A YOB who threatened to stab a resident at the hostel he was living at has been spared jail despite breaching a suspended prison sentence for making vicious threats to police officers.

Robert Thompson was given a six month jail term – suspended for two years – in June after telling an officer: “I am going to go on a killing spree of coppers and slaughter them”.

The 29-year-old, who had been arrested over alleged criminal damage at a school, said he would “do a Raoul Moat” and made threats to follow an officer home and use a crossbow on him.

Thompson, who has 155 criminal offences to his name, was staying in the hostel, in Darlington, in September this year when he was suspected of having stolen a bicycle that had gone missing.

He was approached by a female resident while eating a meal in a communal area and quizzed about the alleged theft.

Teesside Crown Court heard how he became irate and said he would stab the woman with the fork he was holding.

Another man intervened between the pair, but lanky, bald-headed Thompson towered over him and snarled at the woman: “I will stab yer you silly bitch”.

He left, but later returned to the living room, sitting next to the complainant, and took out a three-inch bladed knife from his pocket, telling her it was not a threat, but a promise.

Thompson, of Portland Terrace, Darlington, was subsequently forced to leave the hostel which supports adults living independently.

He admitted common assault and breaching the suspended jail sentence he had been given for making threats to kill.

Kieran Rainey, mitigating, said Thompson knew he put himself in great jeopardy of going to jail. He said he was now free of drugs and was willing to do anything to avoid custody.

Recorder Martin Bethel said he had a dreadful criminal record, but he was satisfied that recently he had been making an effort to put his life back on track.

The judge said Thompson needed supervision from the probation service and gave him a 12 month community order to that effect.

The suspended jail sentence on him, he said, would remain in force until June 2016.

Recorder Bethel said: “I hope you are going to take the chance I am giving you and the courts will see a lot less of you in future.”