A 35-year-old man who committed a string of burglaries in Ipswich and east Suffolk has been jailed for 50 months.

During one of the burglaries in Carlton Road, Ipswich, the homeowner and his wife were alerted after their teenage children shouted that someone was in the house, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

When they looked round the house they discovered that doors to the kitchen, playroom, sitting room, patio and garage had been opened as well as cupboards and drawers and when the children’s mother went outside she found Beresford hiding behind a side gate.

She shouted: “He’s here” and trapped Beresford behind the gate until her husband arrived and held him in a bear hug.

Beresford managed to escape after trying to punch him and when the house owner emptied a bag Beresford had been carrying he found a number of stolen items including biscuits and car keys.

On the same day the occupants of a house in Borrowdale Avenue, Ipswich, heard a noise coming from the kitchen and then saw an outside security light go on.

When they opened the front door they saw Beresford trying to reverse their Audi out of the drive and unsuccessfully tried to open the car door.

When police arrived Beresford reversed the car into a brick wall and was arrested and the householders found the spare keys to the Audi were missing from the house.

Beresford, of no fixed address, admitted burglaries at houses in Carlton Road and Borrowdale Road, Ipswich on March 18 2020, burglaries at houses in Carlton Road, Saxmundham and Leiston Road, Aldringham as well as an attempted burglary at a house in All Saints South Elmham on August 23 last year, aggravated vehicle taking, taking a car without consent and theft.

In addition to being jailed, he was banned from driving for 22 months.

The court heard that during a burglary at a house in Carlton Road, Saxmundham, jewellery, medication and ornaments were stolen from the homeowner who had cancer.

Jewellery, a computer tablet and an air rifle were taken during the break-in at a property in Leiston Road, Aldringhan.

Beresford had also taken a Smart car without consent from Constitution Hill in Ipswich and he was arrested in Norfolk after police were alerted to a burglary taking place in All Saints South Elmham.

On that occasion Beresford was confronted by a homeowner as he tried to break into his house.

The police were called and when the homeowner chased after him Beresford had threatened to kill him.

Beresford had driven off in the Smart car he had taken on an earlier occasion but was later arrested.

Lynne Shirley for Beresford said he was genuinely remorseful and was keen to turn his life around.