Five criminals have been jailed in Suffolk and north Essex this week - including a mugger who threatened to stab a cyclist and a disqualified driver who tried to smash through a police blockade.
Disqualified driver tried to smash through police blockade on A12
A serial disqualified driver from Ipswich who tried to smash through a police blockade on the A12 has been jailed for a string of offences.
Akeem Long, 28, of Samuel Court, Ipswich, had taken his partner’s Renault Clio without consent and was carrying two passengers when police intervened in the early hours on March 10.
Three cars surrounded the Clio as it travelled northbound past Stratford St Mary at 50-55mph, when Long suddenly veered right collided with one of the vehicles. His car then collided with the central barrier and veered back into the nearside lane, and he went on to mount the verge and drive along a footpath before returning to the carriageway and crashing into the central barrier.
Long was jailed for two years at Ipswich Crown Court after admitting aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and uninsured, failing to take a drug-driving test and a class A drug test, and failing to comply with a court order.
Find out more about the case here.Man jailed after carrying out ‘disgusting’ act in shop
A man was jailed for two years and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order after carrying out a lewd act in a shop.
Police received reports that Aaron Birchall, 35, of Shelley Road, Chelmsford, had exposed himself before carrying out an indecent act and damaging a piece of clothing in a shop.
When he returned the next day, he was recognised by a shop worker, who called police.
Birchall appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on April 24, where he received two years for two offences investigated by Essex Police and 11 offences investigated by Sussex Police. He was given two months for indecent exposure and one month for criminal damage in Chelmsford, to run concurrent with each other but consecutive of the offences investigated by Sussex Police.
Read more about the case here.Mugger who threatened to stab cyclist jailed for two years
A mugger who chased another man and threatened him into giving up his possessions has been jailed for two years.
Sheridan Melville, 24, of no fixed address, flagged down the cyclist in West End Road, Ipswich, on October 17 last year, and threatened to stab him unless he handed over cash.
When the man fled on foot, Melville chased him to Portman Road and demanded what little money he had, before returning to steal his bike and rucksack.
He appeared in custody from prison for sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court on April 23, having admitted robbery and theft the day after the incident. Melville was also accused of assaulting an officer upon his arrest – a charge he denied and which was left to lie on file following his guilty plea to the more serious offence of robbery.
Read more about the incident here.Man jailed for kicking and spitting at police after assaulting woman
A man who kicked and spat at two female police officers who arrested him for assaulting another woman has been jailed for four months.
Nuno Saraiva, 40, grabbed at the woman’s body inside a Felixstowe address in the early hours of December 8 last year. Ipswich Crown Court heard he had been drinking whisky with another occupant of the house for several hours before the attack happened at about 1am.
On the way to custody, he kicked the elbow of the officer driving the vehicle and twice spat at the officer accompanying him in the back seat, while attempting to bite her hand multiple times.
He received consecutive eight-week sentences for assaulting the woman and the officer he attempted to bite, plus four weeks to run concurrently for kicking the other officer’s elbow. He was also handed a restraining order prohibiting contact with his victim for a year.
Find out more about this case here.Teenager jailed for two muggings in Ipswich town centre
A 19-year-old has been jailed for two street robberies in central Ipswich.
Asghar Hashemi, of no fixed address, was among a group of at least three who set upon a 43-year-old man returning home from an office Christmas party in Ipswich town centre on December 13 last year. Hashemi stole an iPhone, bank cards and an iWatch, which he was later caught with via a tracker app previously downloaded by the victim.
He and a group also set upon and injured an 18-year-old man in Derby Road on the night of January 25 – stealing his trainers, mobile phone and a coat worth £1,200. Hashemi was charged and later admitted both robberies.
On April 21, he was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court to 32 months’ custody for the robberies and two other offences he asked to be taken into consideration, possession of cannabis and theft of a Rolex watch in Colchester.
Lynne Shirley, mitigating, said Hashemi had reflected on the offences while detained and had shown clear evidence of remorse, regret and even shame.
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