A POLICE time waster who claimed he received death threats during the height of the red-light killings investigation has today been jailed.“Pathetic” Andrew Purdy, 44, diverted vital resources from an investigation into the murders of five Ipswich women by lying to police about attacks on himself.

A POLICE time waster who claimed he received death threats during the height of the red-light killings investigation has today been jailed.

“Pathetic” Andrew Purdy, 44, diverted vital resources from an investigation into the murders of five Ipswich women by lying to police about attacks on himself.

District Judge David Cooper sent Purdy to prison for three months after he pleaded guilty to wasting police time during December last year and January.

Mr Cooper said: “Unfortunately you are the kind of fantasist who obviously got satisfaction and a sense of importance by pretending to be a significant prosecution witness in a case that attracted a huge amount of public attention.

“I am told 50 hours of police time was diverted from their proper duties, which seems to be a huge amount of time. You are forlorn and pathetic and some may say why waste more public money by putting you in prison. But it is time to pass a deterrent sentence so people of your ilk do not come forward and waste police time.”

South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard that on 27 separate occasions Purdy, of Lower Street, Baylham complained to police that he was receiving threats verbally and by text message that his former Holbrook home would be firebombed.

On two occasions Purdy was put up in the Holiday Inn in London Road, Ipswich, for his protection at a cost of £181. A panic alarm was also installed in his home.

Police estimated that around £1,046 was the cost of wasted police time based on 50 hours of a constable's salary.

Kate Miller, prosecuting, said Purdy had similar previous convictions. In 1995 he made a false claim which resulted in a bomb hoax and in 1998 he lied that he had contaminated milk products which caused “fear and distress”.

Ian Duckworth, mitigating, said his client appeared to regularly offend in this manner every three years and his crimes often tied in with relationship problems.

He said his client was “sorry” for what he had done and pledged to seek help through counselling.

Mr Cooper added: “If the police had run his name and date of birth through the computer they would have known they were dealing with a liar.”

Mr Duckworth said if Purdy's false claims had have been made at a different time and not when police were investigating the killings of Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls he may have been treated very differently.