A motorbike thief has been ordered to pay more than £3,000 in compensation - but has avoided going to jail.

Michael Rzasa, 23, of Norwich Road, Ipswich pleaded guilty at Suffolk Magistrates' Court to five counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment, but the jail term was suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £3,083.03 in compensation and must carry out a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Rzasa had been arrested in February this year by officers from Suffolk police's Operation Shere team.

The sentence follows an incident that occurred on Wednesday, January 30 in Weavers Close, when a Honda motorbike was stolen at some point between 3.30am and 3.50am.

It was later found elsewhere in Ipswich on Tuesday, February 16.

A 16-year-old teenage boy was also arrested in connection with the incident at the same time and was later charged with four counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Officers then made a further arrest on Wednesday, February 17, after a motorcycle was stolen in Henslow Road on Sunday, February 7.

Another 16-year-old teenage boy was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle in relation to two separate incidents and he was subsequently charged with four counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Both teenage boys appeared at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, March 30, where they pleaded not guilty. They are next due to appear at court on Tuesday, August 3.