Police officers searching for a man suspected of assaulting a cyclist found him hiding under a pile of clothes at his mother’s home, a court has heard.

An officer pulled at a pair of track suit bottoms on the floor in a bedroom and discovered they were being worn by 25-year-old Andrew Reilly, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Police had gained entry to Reilly’s mother’s house in Lowestoft by breaking a window because they knew she had been injured in a fall and were concerned for her welfare when she didn’t answer the door, said Charles Kellett, prosecuting.

Officers found Reilly’s mother in bed and she told them she hadn’t seen her son since he went out that morning.

She gave permission for the officers to search the premises home and Reilly was found hiding in a bedroom.

Reilly of Notley Road, Lowestoft, admitted assaulting Scott Busby causing him actual bodily harm on May 6 and burglary at a house in Terrington St Clement in Norfolk on April 24.

He asked for four offences of theft to be considered and was jailed for a total of three years and two months.

Mr Kellett told the court that Mr Busby was riding a bike when he was punched in the face three or four times by Reilly and then dragged from the bike to the ground.

Reilly had then tried to kick and stamp on him but Mr Busby had blocked the blows with his arms.

Mr Kellett said Reilly broke into a house in Alma Close, Terrington St Clement while the occupier was in bed and had stolen a computer and a games console.

Andrew Thompson for Reilly said his client had approached Mr Busby because he believed he was riding his bike. “He realises he shouldn’t have taken matters into his own hands,” said Mr Thompson.

He said Reilly had committed the burglary because he owed money to his drug dealer and pressure had been put on him to repay the debt.