A man armed with a knife issued threats to job centre staff as he argued about his benefits being moved to Universal Credit.

Liam Latham flashed the weapon, which was tucked in the waistband of his trousers, after telling workers to 'If you want a fight, come outside'.

And just over two weeks later the 21-year-old launched a knife attack on another man, lashing out at him with the blade.

Now he has been jailed for two years and four months with a judge telling him he was worried about his regularly carrying a weapon.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Latham was in the job centre on Thursday May 10 when he became abusive towards staff.

"He offered them to come outside. The words quotes as having been: 'If you wand to fight come outside, you don't know what I'll do. I'll f***ing kill you'," she said.

He continued being abusive she said and then lifted his top show he had a knife, with a five inch blade, in the waistband of his trousers.

Miss Squire said that while he was issuing the threats a customer went to film what was happening on her phone, but became too scared.

On Sunday May 27 she said Latham was riding a moped along Baydon Close, Moredon, when he spotted Macauley Cole, he had fallen out with.

She said the victim went to walk away when he said him approaching but the defendant stopped the machine and went up to him.

After making an abusive comment he again raised his shirt to show he had a knife tucked into his waistband.

He then took the weapon out and swung it at him towards Mr Cole's chest area, bringing it down in an arcing motion.

The victim turned to flee and Latham went after him, lashing out again with the blade which sliced through his backpack.

Miss Squire said "The consequences, if it had connected with Mr Cole, would be horrific, if not fatal."

Latham, of Whitworth Road, pleaded guilty to threatening with a knife, possessing a bladed article and threatening behaviour.

He denied a charge of attempting to wound with intent to cause GBH and prosecutors said they would not seek a trial.

The court heard he had a long history of crime including assault, having an offensive weapon, a racially aggravated offence and breaching an asbo.

Gareth James, defending, said he faced a minimum six months for having the knife as he had a previous for it, and threatening with a blade also carried the same sentence.

He said "The incident at the Job Centre was unfortunate, it seemed to be the introduction and reduction of payments under Universal Credit.

"The incident with Mr Cole seems to be an incident driven out of previous deals between the two of them."

Jailing him Judge Jason Taylor QC said "I am extremely concerned by your unprovoked and extremely violent behaviour.

"You seem to routinely carry and arm yourself with a knife and you are prepared to brandish or use it if that suits your circumstance."