IPSWICH: A prolific criminal with nearly 50 convictions under his belt is back behind bars today after trying to steal a bike from a police community support officer.

When Darren Grimwood stumbled past his victim’s home in Bishop’s Hill after a night at the pub and spotted the �400 bike, he thought he had found an easy way to get back to his Robin Drive house.

Having already written off the cycle he borrowed from his mum earlier that day in a crash, he tried to prise the white Carrera Vengeance mountain bike off the drainpipe to which it was locked. When that didn’t work, he found a concrete block and started trying to smash the lock off.

But little did he know the bike belonged to a police community support officer who had heard the clanging and called for help.

And to seal the criminal’s fate, the officer had even recognised him as a prolific offender and told the cops exactly who they were looking for. Grimwood, 24, pleaded guilty to the attempted theft and was given three weeks’ imprisonment, and a further three weeks as punishment for breaching a suspended sentence, meaning he will serve a total of six weeks in jail.

Pcso Jacob Andrews, who works with south east Ipswich safer neighbourhood team, said: “I recognised him straight away because I’ve seen photos of him at work.

“I would have gone out but my partner and the emergency call taker advised me not to. I was obviously frightened for myself and my partner’s safety.”

Grimwood’s latest crime took place on July 23 when he was still subject to a suspended sentence for a previous offence – meaning if got in trouble again, he would be punished for both crimes.

District Judge David Cooper, who presided over the hearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court, said: “This is the third time you have breached this suspended sentence.

“I think it would be quite wrong not to activate the suspended sentence.

“However, I can bear in mind that this offence took place at the very end of the suspended sentence and you have completed your supervision.”