AN IPSWICH teenager is beginning an eight-week custodial sentence today after an unprovoked attack on a policeman.Carl John pleaded guilty when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, to assaulting the officer.

AN IPSWICH teenager is beginning an eight-week custodial sentence today after an unprovoked attack on a policeman.

Carl John pleaded guilty when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, to assaulting the officer.

Prosecutor Andrea Reynolds said police were called to John's Bloomfield Street home on February 25 after reports of an argument, which was described as a loud disturbance.

When the 19-year-old answered the door he swore at officers and attempted to slam the door on them.

The court heard a uniformed officer kept the door open with his foot and tried to go in. John then threw a punch towards the policeman's face and as the officer turned his head to avoid the blow he was struck on the left side of his face, causing him to step back.

As John tried to bring his fist forward again, he was grabbed and pushed into a corner to prevent him lashing out again. The teenager continued to swear, shout and throw punches as the officer tried to restrain him.

Magistrates were told John refused to calm down and eventually CS spray had to be used to get him to stop.

The court heard the incident left the officer with a minor swelling to his head, a sore temple and a headache.

Sentencing John, chairman of the bench Susan Henney said the magistrates considered the offence so serious that asking the Probation Service for a report prior to sentencing was not appropriate for the decision they had made.

She said: "The offence you have committed, we consider to be so serious that only a custody is appropriate.

"You committed an unprovoked attack on a police officer. More than one punch was thrown. You did not co-operate until CS Spray…"

At this point John interrupted the magistrate and said: "Just hand me my sentence please."

He was then told he would be sentenced to eight weeks in a youth offenders' institute, which would have been 12 weeks had he not pleaded guilty.

Magistrates said John had to serve half his sentence in custody and would then be released to serve the remainder on licence.