Man jailed after being caught with weapons in Ipswich marina four months after robbery

A man who was spared jail for a robbery in which he threatened to break the fingers of a petrol station worker in January has today been locked up after police found him in possession of a knife and bolt croppers in Ipswich marina.

Officers were called to the Ipswich Haven Marina on May 9 by the security manager after she saw a man she suspected of breaking into a boat, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said that when she challenged the man he had jumped into the water and when police officers arrived they found a pair of bolt croppers in his bag.

After his arrest they found mole grips and a modelling knife in one of his pockets and during his detention he had tried to bite a police officer, said Mr Crimp.

Before the court was Alan Hammond, 36, of no fixed address, who admitted going equipped for theft, assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty, having a knife in a public place and resisting or obstructing a police officer.

He was jailed for a total of 20 weeks for these offences.

Judge John Devaux ordered that the suspended 46 week prison sentence imposed on March 27 this year for the robbery at a BP garage in Plumstead Road, Norwich, on January 20 should be served consecutively, minus the eight weeks he has already spent in custody.

At the sentencing hearing in March, the court heard that Hammond was captured on CCTV walking into the BP garage and grabbing a staff member by the jumper in a bid to get him to open the till.

At one point he grabbed the shop worker’s fingers, twisted them and said: “How many should I break?”

The worker refused to part with any cash and Hammond stole alcohol.

Mr Crimp said Hammond told police he was homeless at the time of the offences committed in May and he had been staying on an insecure boat in the marina.

He said he had bought the bolt coppers with the aim of finding another boat to sleep on.