An agency worker threatened staff with an axe and embedded it in a desk after being sent on a job he did not like.

Audrius Radavicius, 34, had been working for Straightforward Recruitment in Norwich and was assigned to the job, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Radavicius then armed himself with an axe before arriving in "spectacular" fashion at the office in London Street at about 1.30pm.

Mr Youell said he had the axe above his head and then slammed it into the desk of one worker, who got up and ran away.

Other members of staff in the building saw him picking up the axe from the desk and smashing it into a computer monitor on another desk, damaging the desk and knocking the monitor onto the floor.

Mr Youell said Radavicius then left the office before being spoken to by police the following day.

He was then arrested and interviewed when he admitting the offences on August 22 this year.

He appeared in court on Monday (December 2) to be sentenced, having previously admitted affray and possession of an axe following the incident.

Judge Stephen Holt said: "Getting your point across with an axe is simply not acceptable."

Judge Holt said it was a serious criminal offence, adding he "could well imagine how frightening it must have been, a large man like you wielding an axe".

Radavicius, of Britannia Road, Norwich, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order, banning him from making contact with anyone at Straightforward Recruitment agency in Norwich for the next 12 months.

David Stewart, mitigating, said his actions had been "completely disproportionate" to something which "clearly caused him frustration".