A man who drunkenly ran into a shop brandishing a machete after thinking his daughter had been sacked was jailed for 12 months.

Martin Donoghue, 44, of Islip Gardens, Edgware, ran into a shop in Deansbrook Road, Edgware, at 10am on January 17, mistakenly ranting that his daughter had been sacked and she was upset.

He left, only to return an hour and a half later brandishing a machete and again harangued staff.

Donoghue then went into the street, where he was persuaded to let go of the weapon.

Police attended, and he was arrested.

After pleading guilty in February, he was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on April 10 to 12 months’ imprisonment for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Barnet Police Constable Rebecca Ford said: “This was a very scary incident for those who witnessed Donoghue brandishing the machete as he was clearly drunk, rendering him potentially unpredictable.

"The custodial sentence demonstrates that those in the criminal justice system will not tolerate the carrying of weapons on our streets."