Detectives who secured the conviction of a robber for his role in an attack where a victim was kicked, punched and hit have said it was “rewarding” to see him locked up for more than 10 years.

Freddie Cook, of Ashcroft Road, Ipswich, is behind bars after he burgled a home with another man and left with £700 cash, three watches, a purse and its contents and keys to a BMW X5.

During the burglary the men repeatedly punched, kicked, and hit their victim with a hammer. During the frightening attack the victims wife hid in the bathroom and called the police.

Cook’s sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday, April 11 saw him jailed for 10 years and six months.

He had pleaded guilty on January 15 to a charge of robbery at a property in Hepworth.

After being charged with robbery following successful forensic analysis, Cook admitted a further 20 offences spanning April 2018 to January 2019, including burglaries, attempted robbery, theft and aggravated vehicle taking.

Two of these were burglaries in Ipswich in January, one in a property on Eccles Road on January 17 and another in Sandringham Close the following day, when a black Ford Focus ST, a white Ford Fiesta, a TV and jewellery were taken.

Last year in Long Bessels, Hadleigh, a convenience store was also broken into by Cook on December 27 in which alcohol, cigarettes and a till were stolen.

Detective constable Barry Simpson said: “The majority of the burglaries were committed purely to gain the keys to vehicles that were on driveways outside the properties.

“The addresses were not carefully selected due to the individual occupants and they were not specifically targeted. So to be able to tell Cook’s numerous victims that the offender did not know them, did not know their address, had not been watching them and that Cook has received a sentence of over 10 years is particularly rewarding for any detective.”

Cook’s confession came as part of Operation Converter, which aims to encourage offenders to admit their crimes.

DC Simpson added: “Throughout the process, Cook was cooperative and candid regarding his offending and gave details of where property stolen from several of the burglaries had been hidden.

“Searches were conducted and attempts were made to recover the items at various locations but unfortunately all were unsuccessful.”