Birthday in prison for wielding BB gun

A PROLIFIC offender who wielded a BB gun in Ipswich town centre after stealing the weapon in a burglary is today preparing to spend his 21st birthday behind bars.

Troublemaker Mark Stagg was jailed for two-and-a-half-years after pleading guilty to charges of affray and burglary.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Stagg, of Kitchener Road, Ipswich, had become abusive to staff at Ollie's in Ipswich's Tacket Street and had been kicked out of the bar on October 20 last year.

Soon after, he broke into a house in Shaftesbury Square steeling two watches, two BB guns, jewellery, a wallet and a knuckleduster.

Stagg, 20, then walked into a nearby takeaway, produced the weapon and demanded a kebab.

A 17-year-old student who was in the shop at the time told police Stagg then claimed he was only joking, before ordering food and attempting to pay with one of the stolen watches.

Staff refused and Stagg was removed from the shop.

He later walked to the Fire and Ice nightclub and bar where he was seen pointing the BB gun at women and at his own head.

Police were called and Stagg was arrested.

The court heard how Stagg had a huge list of previous convictions including burglary, theft, criminal damage, possession of drugs with intent to supply, sexual assault, obstructing the police and failure to attend court.

It also emerged that Stagg had repeatedly been jailed and had spent his 19th and 20th birthdays in custody.

Andrew Shaw, mitigating, said his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had shown genuine remorse in a pre- sentence report.

Judge David Goodin handed Stagg a two-and-a-half-year sentence for the burglary and a further 12 months for the affray, to be served concurrently.

He said: “This was atrocious and terrifying behaviour in the town. You spent your 19th and 20th birthdays in custody and now you will spend your 21st in custody.”