A SUFFOLK father with an “appalling criminal record” has been jailed for 33 months by a judge who told him that he was the “worst possible role model” for his son.

A SUFFOLK father with an “appalling criminal record” has been jailed for 33 months by a judge who told him that he was the “worst possible role model” for his son.

Michael Vincent, 33, had hoped to be in a position to take responsibility for his 11-year-old son who is currently living with his grandparents.

However, Judge Peter Thompson said that Vincent was regarded by the probation service as being at high risk of re-offending and unlikely to change his ways.

Vincent, of Lower Farm Road, Ringshall had admitted theft, common assault, two offences of handling stolen goods and committing offences while on licence from prison.

Judge Thompson jailed Vincent for 33 months and said he was the worse possible role model for his son.

At the end of the case Judge Thompson praised the actions of James Rowell who had been working on a building site in Ipswich and had alerted the police after seeing something suspicious happening in a car park at the back of the town's Zest nightclub.

He had provided the police with descriptions of the people involved and this had led to Vincent being arrested several hours later for handling 15 CDs worth £100 which had been stolen from a car which had been parked behind Zest.

Judge Thompson awarded Mr Rowell a £300 reward out of public funds for his public-spirited actions.

Michael Crimp prosecuting at Ipswich Crown Court said that in August last year Vincent and another man had tried to steal alcohol from Tesco at Copdock by removing tags from bottles.

As they had tried to leave the store they realised they had been spotted and they had returned to the premises and dumped the bottles in a trolley.

As they tried to leave the store again Vincent was stopped by a WPc and a member of staff. He had struggled and become abusive and the member of staff had later suffered pain to his thumbs.

Mr Crimp said that Vincent was stopped by police in Portman Road in Ipswich last October two and a half hours after a car was broken into behind Zest nightclub and was found in possession of stolen CDs.

On another occasion police had found two boxed mobile phones at Vincent's home which had been stolen in a £8,500 raid at a phone shop.

Mark Roochove, for Vincent, said that his client had reached a time in his life when he realised he had to stop offending and take responsibility for his son.

He said: “He doesn't want his son to have a life like his. He wants him to have a choice and believes he can assist him.”