A man who went on a “violent rampage” which culminated in him holding an Ipswich family hostage at knifepoint for four hours had been jailed for seven years.
During the incident armed officers and a police negotiator were called to a house in Cullingham Road where Russell Ireland was holding Angelo Paiva, his partner Maria Carvalho, who was eight months pregnant, and her sister, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
The trio had been watching television on October 18 when 29-year-old Ireland walked in uninvited and said he “needed to lie low” after attacking a teenager earlier in the afternoon.
During the family’s ordeal Ireland confiscated their mobile phones and pulled out a knife from a pocket and pointed it at Mr Paiva, said Michael Crimp, prosecuting.
At one stage Ireland telephoned his aunt and told her he had walked into a house with a knife and she had contacted the police.
Eventually Ireland agreed to let Miss Carvalho leave the house and as she walked out to waiting police officers Ireland held a knife to Mr Paiva’s throat.
He then ordered Mr Paiva and his sister-in-law to go upstairs and held a knife close to her back while ordering police officers to move away from the house, said Mr Crimp.
The incident came to an end when Ireland agreed to let Mr Paiva and his sister-in-law leave the house and told police he would be waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs with his hands on his head.
Ireland, of no fixed address, admitted three offences of false imprisonment, making a threat to kill, assaulting a 16-year-old youth, burglary at the Kingsley House Hotel in Ipswich, threatening a member of staff at the hotel with a knife and assaulting a police officer.
Jailing him for seven years with a four year extended licence period of four years Judge Rupert Overbury said Ireland had gone on a “violent rampage”.
The court heard that prior to going to Mr Paiva’s home Ireland had attacked a 16-year-old boy at the Chequers Hotel in Ipswich after telling him he felt like killing someone.
He had then walked into the kitchen of the Kingsely House Hotel and removed a knife from and threatened a member of staff who challenged him.
Cathy McCulloch, for Ireland, said her client regretted what he had done and hadn’t intended to hurt anyone with the knife.
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