AN Ipswich teenager who was given chance after chance to lead a law-abiding life has today been jailed.

AN Ipswich teenager who was given chance after chance to lead a law-abiding life has today been jailed.

James Tibbenham was told he had “run out of rope” as he was sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institute.

The 19-year-old who has a history of robbery, violence, dishonesty and breaching court orders was finally brought back to Ipswich Crown Court after assaulting a police officer.

Juliet Donovan prosecuting explained that Tibbenham had hit Dc David Green over the head with a beer can while he was dealing with a dispute between three women in Handford Road on August 11.

The officer was hospitalised over night suffering with bruising and concussion.

Miss Donovan said the assault put Tibbenham, of Old Foundry Road, in breach of a six month jail term suspended for two years, imposed after he pleaded guilty to robbing a 14-year-old boy of a mobile phone in Alan Road on April 15, 2006.

The court heard that Tibbenham had completed the 100 hours unpaid work attached to the sentence and a further 20 hours added for failing to keep probation appointments.

Tibbenham pleaded guilty to common assault and admitted breaching the suspended sentence.

Roger Thomson, mitigating, said the police officer was in plain clothes and off duty with two other men when Tibbenham saw him dealing with a fracas involving two women and his mother.

Mr Thomson said he did not realise the man was an officer and had in fact been assaulted himself the previous night and believed the officer and his two associates could have been his attackers.

He said Tibbenham had started to “move on” in life and had a flat, some qualifications and casual work.

Judge David Goodin told Tibbenham: “You have run out of rope and you have been given a fair stretch of it in the past.

“You went wading in with a weapon, a beer can in your hand, and you struck the officers on the head, although you did not know he was an officer.

“I acknowledge in that melee somewhere was your mother and that affected your motivation but you cannot wade in hitting people.”