A SUFFOLK crook who failed to show up at court for his sentencing was eventually brought before an Ipswich judge the same day. Lee Carnegie was due to be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court for gun and knife offences.

A SUFFOLK crook who failed to show up at court for his sentencing was eventually brought before an Ipswich judge the same day.

Lee Carnegie was due to be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court for gun and knife offences.

He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two charges of possessing a firearm when prohibited and one charge of having a bladed article in a public place.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of the 39-year-old, of St Mary's Square, Newmarket, when he failed to attend the latest court hearing.

His barrister John Farmer said his solicitors had spoken to Carnegie two weeks ago when he was due to be interviewed by the probation service for a pre-sentence report. The court heard that Carnegie never attended the interview and had not been seen since.

Mr Farmer and Crown Prosecutor Rupert Overbury said they did not wish for Carnegie to be sentenced in his absence.

Judge Peter Thompson ordered “a bench warrant not backed for bail”.

He said if Carnegie was found he would be arrested for a bail act offence and would be remanded in custody until he could be sentenced, which could be some weeks away.

Mr Overbury told Judge Thompson that although the maximum sentence for firearms was five years in prison there were no reports of anyone being sentenced to more than three years.

Carnegie, who was formerly of Bury St Edmunds, was recently acquitted at Ipswich Crown Court of a conspiracy to supply large quantities of Class A drugs.

He was eventually brought before the court last Friday afternoon. However, sentencing was adjourned to a later date.