A SUICIDAL drug addict who robbed an elderly woman at gunpoint could be released from prison in less than three years, an Ipswich court heard.Carl Dagg pointed a gun at 69-year-old Jill Pryke and demanded her car keys outside St Andrew's Church in Rushmere St Andrew.

A SUICIDAL drug addict who robbed an elderly woman at gunpoint could be released from prison in less than three years, an Ipswich court heard.

Carl Dagg pointed a gun at 69-year-old Jill Pryke and demanded her car keys outside St Andrew's Church in Rushmere St Andrew.

Dagg, 36, later told police he only had the gun because he hoped police officers would see it and shoot him dead.

He said he got the gas-powered weapon off his crack cocaine dealer before taking class A drugs and running over to Mrs Pryke and robbing her of her car at gunpoint.

Mrs Pryke told police: “I feel anxious and unsettled and am worried about returning to my church where I have been going for 40 years and where I always felt very safe and comfortable.”

She added that although she did not think she was going to die she did not know what Dagg's intentions were.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that the previous day Dagg was involved in a high speed police chase in Ipswich town centre.

John Fenn, prosecuting, said Dagg, of Foundation Street, Ipswich, drove a red Vauxhall Cavalier against oncoming traffic between Ipswich railway station and Cemetery Road where he eventually crashed.

Mr Fenn said: “Once the defendant became aware the police were following him he made off at high speed up to 46 miles per hour in the town centre against the flow of traffic.”

Mr Fenn said the next day Mrs Pryke had gone to the Rushmere church to unlock the doors when Dagg approached her.

She said: “He said 'give me the keys, get out of the car, I have got a gun'. I could see at waist level he was holding a gun.”

Mr Fenn said that police found Dagg sitting on a river bank crying. He told them he wanted them to shoot him so he did not have to go back to prison.

Dagg pleaded guilty to armed robbery, possessing a firearm, two offences of aggravated burglary and three offences of burglary.

He asked for 98 offences of burglaries at churches, care homes, surgeries, sport centres and charity shops to be taken into consideration.

Lindsay Cox, mitigating, said Dagg suffered from “anxiety, depression, paranoia and suicidal tendencies” but had not received any treatment for his mental health problems.

He said Dagg had been co-operative with the police and confessed all his criminal activities.

Mr Recorder Martyn Levett gave Dagg an indeterminate prison sentence but said the parole board would not consider releasing him until he had served three years in jail minus the 156 days he had served on remand.

He said Dagg was a danger to the public and would remain on licence for life after his release from prison.