STAB vests have been ordered for police officers in Suffolk where one officer has been injured.There had been delays in getting stab-resistant vests in the wake of Anthony Adams being stabbed in Ipswich on February 20.

By Tracey Sparling

STAB vests have been ordered for police officers in Suffolk where one officer has been injured.

There had been delays in getting stab-resistant vests in the wake of Anthony Adams being stabbed in Ipswich on February 20.

Ipswich restaurant worker Christopher Adams, 42, of Christchurch Street, was cleared at Ipswich Crown Court in June, of deliberately stabbing Pc Owens and said that he was sorry the officer had been injured while doing his duty.

Pc Owens, 29, had gone to Mexi Mix Restaurant in the town's St Helen's Street to investigate a burglar alarm that had gone off in the early hours.

He was trying to open the gates at the back of the restaurant when it was flung open from the other side, and he felt a thump to the right hand side of his chest and realised he had been struck with a knife.

Mr Andrews claimed he had investigated after hearing noises, and had flung his arms across his body and accidentally stabbed the policeman in the process.

Members of Suffolk Police Authority heard Pc Owens' injuries might have been less severe had he been wearing a protective vest.

Now Suffolk has joined with colleagues in Kent and the Metropolitan Police to sign a contract for a bulk order of the new vests.

At the authority's meeting yesterday , acting chief constable Gillian Parker said: "The total number of police officers is not far short of 25per cent of the total number in England and Wales.

"We are expecting the vests to be delivered in April next year."

Officers in Suffolk have been involved in trialling the vests for two months, and passing on their comments about the garments.