A man threatened residents with a knife and stamped on a woman’s glasses during a 12-hour crime spree.

At around 4.30pm on January 3, Sussex Police received a report of a disturbance at Pengelly Gardens, Littlehampton.

Zac Brazil entered a property with a knife and threatened the residents.

Later that day, at around 8pm, he entered a property in Ravenscroft, Storrington and threatened a woman with a knife, causing minor injuries. He then stamped on her glasses.

Brazil, 26, of no fixed address, was also found to have cannabis when searched by officers.

The previous day, he had been caught driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He was arrested and at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on January 5 he pleaded guilty to criminal damage, common assault, affray, possession of a knife, possession of a Class B drug, failing to cooperate with a preliminary test, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

At Lewes Crown Court he has now been sentenced to three and a half years’ imprisonment and was handed a five-year Serious Violence Reduction Order (SVRO), which gives police the powers to search him at any time in a public place for a year.

He was also disqualified from driving for a further 90 months.

Detective Inspector Gary Jacobs said: “This is a deserved result for Brazil who caused distress to a number of victims.

“Not only the prison sentence, but the power of the SVRO is so important and I am proud of the team for securing yet another one.

“This shows our commitment to making sure dangerous and persistent offenders are taken off the streets.”