Man threatened to blind pensioner

IPSWICH: A man who punched and kicked an elderly man and then held a screwdriver a couple of inches from one of his eyes and threatened to blind him has been jailed for two years.

The elderly victim, who had a walking stick, was sitting on a bench outside a caf� in St Matthew's Street in Ipswich chatting to friends when he was attacked by 27-year-old Gavin Nock, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Nock had been shouting and laughing and the man had told him “We like to keep it quiet,” said Godfried Duah, prosecuting.

Nock had asked the man what his problem was and had then kicked him in the ribs and punched him on the side of the face with a clenched fist. He had then pulled out a screwdriver and held it a couple of inches from the man's left eye and saying “I'll turn you into a blind old man,” said Mr Duah.

The police were called and when Nock was searched he was also found to be carrying a knife.

Nock, of Ranelagh Road, Ipswich admitted possessing a screwdriver and a knife, threatening behaviour, battery, supplying heroin and burglary.

Mr Duah said the burglary had taken place at a house in Dalton Road, Ipswich while the residents were out.

A man who lived at the premises had returned during the afternoon of April 14 to find Nock in the premises.

Nock's speech had been slurred when he was challenged about what he was doing in the house and after Nock left the premises the resident found a money box and some Easter eggs had been moved to the bottom of the stairs.

Six days later Nock had offered to supply a small amount of heroin to an undercover police officer in return for a share of the drug.

Ian Duckworth for Nock said he had had a drug problem but this had been replaced by a drink problem.

He had been drunk at the time of the burglary and had left the premises when asked to do so by one of the occupants.

He said Nock hadn't produced the knife he was carrying on him during the incident with the elderly man in St Matthew's Street.