AN AXE-WIELDING teenager terrorised passers-by and laid siege to shops while shouting, “Here’s Johnny!”

Jack Finnegan, 19, charged at his victims, making one woman fear for her life, and brought the axe down on parked cars as he copied the famous line from horror film The Shining, starring Jack Nicholson.

The rampage during which he smashed up a table in a pizza parlour ended when staff from the takeaway chased after and disarmed Finnegan, making a citizen's arrest until police arrived, York Crown Court heard.

Finnegan who was jailed for four years was initially spotted throwing a wheelbarrow around on a road in the Ashton Park area of Clifton, York, said prosecutor Alisha Kaye.

Passer-by William Miles went to pick up the barrow, but Finnegan punched him in the face, knocking his glasses off, the court heard. Bloodied Mr Miles suffered serious eye injuries.

Finnegan then picked up the wheelbarrow and threw it at a parade of shops, damaging a window. Two other men were walking past the scene in Crichton Avenue when they were confronted by Finnegan, who punched one of them and kicked the other.

Finnegan then turned on 48-year-old Joanne Bradish, who was cycling home just before midnight.

“He started to cross the road; he had the axe in his hand,” said Ms Kaye. “Ms Bradish cycled away from him in fear. He threatened to kill her three times. He then started chasing her while holding the axe in the air. Ms Bradish as cycling as fast as she could; she tried to go down an alleyway and fell off her bike. She managed to get up and started running with her bike. Exhausted, she managed to get home and collapsed in the house after locking her door.”

Ten minutes later, Finnegan was seen crashing the axe down on a pavement with such force he put a dent in it. He then swung the axe at passer-by Alan Brown while laughing in a “high-pitched tone”. The short-handled axe stopped just short of striking Mr Brown, court was told. Finnegan then walked off, shouting: “Here’s Johnny!”

Next in his line of sight was passer-by Kieran Carr, who he punched in the face, causing cuts to his lip and eyebrow.

Finnegan then marched into Pizza Time in Burton Stone Lane, where he began hitting a table with the axe, before smashing a window as he left, causing £260 of damage. Staff at the takeaway chased after Finnegan and disarmed him, before making a citizen’s arrest until police arrived.

Finnegan, of Crichton Avenue, pleaded guilty to charges of affray, possessing an offensive weapon and making threats to kill, as well as five counts of criminal damage and two of common assault. The incidents happened late on July 25 last year and in the early hours the following day.

The court heard that Ms Bradish had thought Finnegan was going to kill her.

Ms Kaye said Finnegan had got the axe and wheelbarrow from his home nearby.

He had been celebrating his mother’s birthday and got drunk before going out on the street looking for trouble.

Finnegan’s solicitor advocate Kristian Kavanagh asked Judge Paul Batty QC to consider suspending the inevitable prison sentence because of his client’s timely guilty pleas.

Judge Paul Batty QC branded Finnegan’s offences “truly shocking” and said the most serious aspect was the life-changing effects on Ms Bradish.

“What you did to her will live with her for the rest of her life,” added Mr Batty.

Jailing Finnegan, Judge Batty said his extreme violence had also “deeply affected” the other victims.

The judge praised the brave actions of the takeaway staff who detained Finnegan and said he would be arranging for them to receive a financial reward from the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire.