A man will face court after he allegeldy held a 75-year-old woman at knifepoint during an incident near Lake Macquarie.
Police say the man, aged 46, purchased the knife at a Morisset supermarket just before 2:30pm yesterday.
As he was leaving the shopping centre, he allegedly approached the woman and held the knife to her back.
Bystanders alerted a police officer who was in the supermarket, who drew her firearm and called on the man to drop the knife, but he refused.
More police arrived, and the man allegedly released the woman but continued to brandish the knife while attempting to flee.
He was tasered by police and arrested.
After treatment for an injury to his head, he was charged with armed with intent, using a weapon to avoid apprehension, wielding a knife in public place, affray, and common assault.
