A MAN has admitted attempting to imprison a mother and her young child after threatening her with a knife in a supermarket car park.

Neil Diaz approached the complete stranger outside Asda in Turner Rise, Colchester, in September.

During the terrifying incident, he held the blade to the woman’s stomach and demanded she get in a car where he intended to speak with her.

She screamed, shoved him away and he made his escape catching a train to Chelmsford before coming back to Marks Tey railway station where he was apprehended.

Diaz, of Roosevelt Way, Colchester, told police his behaviour had been sparked by a stream of rejections from women and had intended to kill himself after the threats.

Last year, the 57-year-old denied two counts of attempted kidnap.

But during a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday he admitted two counts of attempted false imprisonment - one relating to an adult and one to a child - threatening the woman with an article with a blade or point and possession of another kitchen knife which was found in his car.

Those have now been deemed acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service meaning the woman has been spared giving evidence at a trial.

He denied two charges of attempted kidnap and possession of two offensive weapons, namely a pair of hammers, which were also in his vehicle.

These will now lie on file.

Stephen Rose, prosecuting said: “The intention was to have them both in the vehicle and then for a period of time where he would have unburdened himself about his situation.”

Barry Gilbert, mitigating, said Diaz was suffering deeply from depression at the time.

He said: “He was suffering from a breakdown of some description.

“He was not wanting to do serious harm to anybody although I will accept the victim would have been traumatised.

“From the moment he was interviewed he said what he would have pleaded guilty to.”

A psychiatric report has been produced which said Diaz was fit to enter pleas, however, another has been ordered to see if he if he is suffering from any underlying conditions.

Addressing Diaz, Judge Martyn Levett warned him he was facing a long prison sentence when he is sentenced later this year.

“You are remanded in custody and it is in your interest to co-operate with the psychiatrist and the probation service,” he said.

“If you do not I may draw negative inferences as I feel appropriate.

“All of the options remain open and you should not anticipate anything over than a lengthy prison sentence.”

Speaking from the dock, Diaz said he had always “done his utmost” to co-operate with the authorities since he was arrested and charged.