A BENEFIT claimant on universal credit who had not eaten for five days sparked off a confrontation which ended with a job centre security guard being knifed in the hand.

Former car industry worker Andrew Harwood, 46, snapped after being left with just £200 a month to survive on, Burnley Crown Court heard.

He downed most of a bottle of Southern Comfort, in the hope he would pass out and not feel hungry any more, the court was told.

But when this failed to happen, he began to mull over his problems anew, picked up a kitchen knife and returned to Burnley Job Centre, the court heard.

Prosecutors say security guard Cameron Ali, who tried to disarm Harwood, was left with a serious tendon injury to his hand, which left him requiring four hours of corrective surgery.

Jailing him for 12 months, Judge Andrew Jeffries QC said: “However much I empathise with someone subject to universal credit, and the problems that we are all familiar with, and I do empathise with your plight, what I cannot have empathy for is arming yourself with a large knife, and having had a row the day before, causing someone to be injured in the way that he was.”

Harwood, of Abinger Street, Burnley, had pleaded guilty to offences of affray and unlawful wounding at a previous hearing.

The judge said he hoped that his sentence, of which Harwood will serve half, would allow him to retain the tenancy on his one-bedroom flat, which the court heard would be kept open for six months.

Alistair Reid. prosecuting, said job centre case worker Mahmood Ahmed had dealt with Harwood on October 15, when he raised concerns regarding £40 tax credit arrears and the possibility of securing a foodbank parcel.

He told the officer he had not eaten and insisted he would not leave without being assured a food parcel, the court heard.

Mr Reid said when Harwood returned the following day, he began staring intently at Mr Ahmed. In his jacket pockets were the remains of a bottle of Southern Comfort and a seven-inch kitchen knife.

Security guard Cameron Ali observed Harwood’s aggressive demeanour and how he stared at Mr Ahmed for around 90 seconds, before producing the kitchen knife.

The court heard as customers and staff members moved away quickly, Mr Ali attempted to disarm Harwood and suffered a three centimetre deep cut to his hand.

Amanda Johnson, defending, said her client had worked for most of his life in the car industry but had been made redundant around 12 months earlier.

She told the court that around the time of the incident, he was receiving £300 per month in universal credit. From this £60 was being deducted for his rent and a further £40 for tax credit arrears, leaving him with £200 a month to live on.

“On the date of the offence he had not eaten for five days. He was clearly feeling frustrated with the job centre staff,” she added.

Miss Johnson said the defendant had been attempting to enrol on computer courses before the offences, but these had been denied to him by the job centre.

She told the court that ironically, while the defendant had been on remand, he had been able to secure a number of IT qualifications.

Speaking after the case, DC Alex Summers said: “This is a horrific attack on a member of the public service. The victim acted in a selfless manner in order to protect other members of the public and in doing so sustained serious injuries which will affect him for the rest of his life.

“No matter what a person’s circumstances, there is never an excuse for behaving in this way. Knife crime will not be tolerated in our county and we will continue to tackle the issue and serve justice to those responsible for such crimes.

“Lancashire Constabulary in consultation with the Department for Work and Pensions would like to remind people that support is available to anybody in difficulty or struggling with benefit payments.”