A robber who held up an Ipswich Co-op with a water pistol in a sock tried to avoid being sent to prison by saying he wanted to join ISIS, a court heard.

At the Ipswich Crown Court sentencing of Peter Price, Judge Martyn Levett said the 27-year-old had tried to convince a psychiatrist compiling a pre-sentence report that he had autism and schizophrenia.

However, the psychiatrist came firmly to the view that most of the problems Price, of Gippeswyk Road, Ipswich, had were down to drug-induced psychosis and his drug issues.

Judge Levett told Price there was no suggestion of a mental illness which required specialist treatment “even though you said you have thoughts of joining ISIS, jumping off buildings, and harming yourself.”

Despite the issues Price – who had 29 previous convictions for 57 offences – put in the way of his diagnosis it appeared these were down to him spending far too much money on drugs and gambling.

The court was told Price had attempted to manipulate the psychiatrist into recommending he be sent to a hospital for treatment rather than prison.

The judge suggested this was likely to be because of the privileges this would allow Price.

Although Price protested from the dock Judge Levett said: “It seems to me that you are a person who wants everything, whatever the cost.

“You have been described as a person who is egocentric.

“Your crimes are nothing to do with mental illness, but down to your greed.”

Price was jailed for four years and eight months after previously admitting robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

Earlier in the hearing the court heard he left a shop assistant at Woodbridge Co-op terrified and traumatised after entering the store at around lunchtime on December 21.

He pointed what the worker believed was real gun, covered by a sock, at him and demanded money from the till.

Price told him: “I have got a gun. Open the till or I’m going to shoot you.”

He left the shop with £194.

Judge Levett said it must have been a terrifying experience for the shop worker.

Roger Thomson, mitigating, “This appears to be a one off thing. What the explanation is I know not.”