An armed robber’s mother has apologised to workers at an Ipswich Co-op whom he terrified by pretending to have a gun in a sock.

Peter Price, of Gippeswyk Road, Ipswich, is now awaiting sentence after pleading guilty at the town’s crown court to robbing the East of England Co-op store in Woodbridge Road of cash.

The 27-year-old also admitted possessing an imitation firearm – a handgun-shaped item hidden in a sock. The offences took place on December 21. After the hearing Price’s mother, Anna Delgado, of Rope Walk, Ipswich, acknowledged what her son had done was traumatising for the staff involved and said she was sorry for his actions.

The 60-year-old said “I want to say that on a normal level he wouldn’t have done that. It is not in his nature to have done that.

“I’m really sorry that he has done it, and he’s taken it on board that he knows he has done wrong from what I saw in court.”

Ms Delgado said her son - who is one of seven children - has Asperger syndrome, along with other mental health issues, and is on medication.

However, she added Price had also got involved in illegal drugs and ended up with debts to dealers.

She said: “He is so vulnerable it’s unreal. It really is. He needs constant supervision.

“He regrets what he has done. He said to me he did it as he didn’t know what else to do because he didn’t have any money.

“I believe you have to pay the consequences and the price, but with Peter there are underlying issues there.”

The court heard Price, who is also known as Peter Perreira, had 29 previous convictions for 57 offences.

Prosecutor Michael Crimp said they were generally low level crimes such as shop theft, threatening behaviour, battery and criminal damage.

Mr Crimp told the court: “Nothing of the magnitude of the offence for which he now falls to be sentenced.”

Price, represented by Roger Thomson, entered his guilty pleas via a video link from Norwich prison where he is currently on remand.

He was told his sentence was being adjourned until week commencing March 6 to give time for a psychiatric report to be prepared.

Judge David Goodin told Price: “Offences of this nature ordinarily attract a custodial sentence of some length, particularly because of the presence of an imitation firearm.

“Mr Thomson is of the view it would not be in the interests of justice that I pass sentence without some input of a psychiatrist.”