Five banned from Ipswich town centre after bus station brawl

Five teenagers have been banned from Ipswich town centre and sent to youth detention following a violent brawl. 

The five teenagers were arrested after an altercation broke out at Old Cattle Market bus station in June last year.

The court heard that the males were armed with sharpened wooden stakes, which presiding Judge Martyn Levett said he believed had been taken from a nearby building site in Star Lane.

Alfie Pollard was among the five sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court over the brawl. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Alfie Pollard, 18, of Honeysuckle Gardens, Ipswich, appeared in the dock.

Appearing via video link was Claudio da Costa, 18, of Primrose Hill, Ipswich, Laurynas Talacka, 18, of Chevalier Street, Ipswich, Daniel Guedes, 19, of Broomwade Close, Ipswich, and 17-year-old Andrius Budzius of Magdalene Close, Ipswich.

Claudio Da Costa was among the five sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court over the brawl. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

All five had pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

During sentencing, Judge Martyn Levett lifted reporting restrictions to name the fifth defendant Andrius Budzius as he said there was public interest in the people of Ipswich observing that justice was being served.

Cases of violence in the town centre had, he said, become, “all too common and far too frequent,” and “blight the reputation of an historic town.”

Daniel Guedes was among the five sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court over the brawl. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

“This was not a spontaneous flare up of violence, nor was it an isolated incident,” Judge Levett told the defendants. “Your purpose was plain and obvious, and It was to meet and have a showdown in the centre of Ipswich.”

Da Costa, Guedes and Talacka were all sentenced to 24 months to be served in a youth offenders institute.

Laurynas Talacka was among the five sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court over the brawl. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Pollard was sentenced to 21 months, with the judge taking into account time he had already served on curfew.

Budzius was given a Detention and Training Order of 18 months, nine of which he will serve in custody, the remaining nine on supervision.

Andrius Budzius was among the five sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court over the brawl. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

All five of the youths will also be subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order for five years, meaning that they will not be allowed into the town centre, defined as the area bordered by Civic Drive, Franciscan Way, Grey Friars and Star Lane.

Judge Levett said that he had chosen to lift reporting restrictions partly so the public were aware that the youths are not permitted to be in the centre of town.