The father of a murdered Essex teenager was confronted by a knife-wielding man who came into his shop and threatened to kill him, a court has heard.

Stafford Whiston, the father of 17-year-old Jay Whiston, from Clacton, who died after being stabbed at a house party in Colchester in 2012, was behind the counter of Cash In Hand, in Queen Street, Colchester, on December 12 when 29-year-old Jason Aldis walked in holding a 10in knife, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Mark Roochove, prosecuting, told the court Mr Whiston’s son had been murdered several years earlier in a stabbing incident.

As a result Mr Whiston was in genuine fear for his safety when he was confronted by Aldis who told him: “I’m going to kill you.”

Mr Whiston picked up a chair and put it between him and Aldis who continued making threats, including telling him he would come back for him, said Mr Roochove.

As Aldis left the premises he smashed a display cabinet by the main door, causing £700 damage and picked up a £225 laptop computer and left without paying for it.

The court heard two days earlier Aldis had been arrested for theft at the shop and on December 23 he had appeared before Essex magistrates and was jailed for 14 days.

Aldis, of Old School Lane, Elmstead, Colchester, admitted intimidation, damaging property and theft of a laptop computer and was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work in the community and to attend a 40-day rehabilitation activity programme and a Thinking Skills programme.

Aldis was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting Mr Whiston or going to Queen Street, Colchester, or New Street, Braintree.

Sentencing him, Recorder Ian Evans said: “You threatened Mr Whiston with a knife and made verbal threats resulting in him being intimidated.”

He said the two men had known each other for 15 years and had been friends.

He said after being arrested for theft on December 10, Aldis had gone back to Mr Whiston’s shop on December 12 in an attempt to intimidate him not to give evidence against him.

Frank O’Toole, for Aldis, said his client had been homeless at the time of the offences and had gone to see Mr Whiston in the hope of getting a short-term loan to keep him going.

“He was homeless and desperate,” said Mr O’Toole.

He said there had been a row between the two men during which Aldis had pulled out a knife he carried round in his belongings.

“He had no intention of using the knife to harm the victim,” said Mr O’Toole.

He said Aldis was a recovering drug addict and was determined to rehabilitate himself.