AN armed robber was today sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for holding up a Felixstowe shop with a sawn off shot gun. Jamaican national Ian Brooks, 30, had pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at around 6.

AN armed robber was today sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for holding up a Felixstowe shop with a sawn off shot gun.

Jamaican national Ian Brooks, 30, had pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at around 6.30am on May 16 at Alldays store Walton Avenue, Felixstowe where they escaped with just £45 cash.

Brooks had claimed that he had been forced into the act by two fellow defendants Gavin Friston and Paul Cunnington, who were found not guilty of the robbery earlier this week.

Brooks claimed that he had been hitchhiking back from Felixstowe when he was picked up by the two men, who he did not know, in a BMW.

After the robbery the robbers made their getaway in a BMW car. This became embroiled in a chase with the police along the westbound A14. It was finally stopped after crashing in Ipswich.

Brooks' sentence took into consideration the fact that he had given evidence against the other two defendants.

Judge John Devaux said the sentence would normally have been twice as long.