A PROLIFIC offender will tonight be behind bars after being sentenced to three years in prison for offences across Ipswich.

Aaron Knock, 23, of Shakespeare Road appeared in Ipswich Crown Court today and was sentenced to three years after previously admitting to 17 offences.

He admitted to seven house burglaries committed between July 2008 and September 2012 in Parade Road, Swansea Avenue, Beechcroft Road, Fircroft Road, Turrett Lane and two in Brunswick Road, Ipswich.

Knock also admitted to burgling of a shop in Ipswich Road on July 1, 2012, two thefts from shops in London Road on July 30, 2012 and Westgate Street on February 8, 2012, taking three vehicles without consent in Tuddenham Road, Garrick Way and Chesterfield Drive during January 2011 and April 2012, two thefts from motor vehicles in Everton Crescent in January 2011 and Dales Road in July 2012 and two thefts of motor vehicles in Grimwade Street in October 2012 and Hatfield Road in September 2012.

Temporary Detective Inspector Eamonn Bridger of Ipswich Criminal Investigation Department said: “Knock is a prolific offender, who has been targeting Ipswich for many years and causing distress to a lot of innocent victims.

“This sentence reflects the commitment and dedication of detectives, crime scene investigators and the Operation Converter team to work together to hold Knock accountable for his actions.

“I hope that today Knock’s many victims will have peace of mind in the knowledge that from tonight he will be behind bars and not able to commit crime.

“We will not stand for this type of criminal behaviour and I would like to warn all prolific offenders that we will come after you and you will be brought to justice.”

The sentence also comes from the work of the Operation Converter team, which works to encourage offenders to admit their crimes that are then taken into consideration at sentencing.

The scheme aims to give victims of crime some peace of mind that the person responsible has been traced and dealt with and gives offenders a chance to clear their slate so they can have a fresh start when they are released in the knowledge that if they go on to commit further crimes they may face a harsher sentence.