IPSWICH: The streets of Ipswich are today free of one of the town’s most menacing car criminals – but not for long.

Perpetual troublemaker Darrell Lambert is behind bars AGAIN today after police caught him drink driving for a FOURTH time.

But in just ten months the boozed-up road yob could be back plaguing our roads.

Last May the 23-year-old, of Fletcher Road, was sent to prison for 12 months for a string of driving offences.

On that occasion Lambert re-offended SEVEN hours after he left prison for another dangerous driving stunt.

But today Lambert is back behind bars after adding to his appalling catalogue of car crimes which date back to when he was 13 years old – just 44 days after being released from prison on June 24.

It was heard that Lambert had an argument with his girlfriend and in a fit of anger, the banned driver jumped into her car in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The prolific offender pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, drink driving and driving without insurance at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Gareth Davies, prosecuting, said Lambert was spotted by two police officers in Norman Crescent, getting out of a Ford Focus.

They recognised him as being disqualified from driving. The court then heard how Lambert spotted the officers, turned and ran off but was caught by the officers and arrested.

When they got the father-of-two to Ipswich police station, officers discovered he had 69 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35mcg.

Judge David Cooper describe the crimes as “deplorable and lamentable.”

Ian Duckworth in mitigation said: “In the past Lambert has come out and not been interested in changing. But on this occasion, speaking to him, he intends to change.”

Mr Duckworth said unlike previous occasions where he has been involved in dangerous car chases, Lambert only drove for a short while before realising what he was doing and pulling over.

Sentencing Judge Cooper said: “I can’t see he is going to change greatly. He has shown true contempt of the court orders and all the help given to him.”

For driving whilst disqualified he was sent to prison for 90 days, he was given a 90-day concurrent sentence for drink driving and no extra penalty for diving without insurance. He was also disqualified from driving for a further three years.

As a result of him breaching the conditions of his release by committing his latest crimes, he will serve extra time in prison.

His long list of previous convictions includes six for dangerous driving and at least 13 for driving whilst disqualified.

He has also been jailed for a string of car thefts.