A TEENAGER at the centre of a late-night siege that brought an Ipswich street to a standstill is today starting a 14-week jail term - but he could be back on the streets early in the New Year.

A TEENAGER at the centre of a late-night siege that brought an Ipswich street to a standstill is today starting a 14-week jail term - but he could be back on the streets early in the new year.

With good behaviour Lemar Boydon could be released after he has served half his sentence - seven weeks after being taken into custody at the end of November.

Boydon, 18, hurled furniture from a first-floor window, brandished a kitchen knife and threatened to shoot police with a gun during the tense stand-off on November 26.

Officers had been called when Boydon began smashing his mother's car at their house in Nacton Road. He then retreated inside, where he threw objects at officers from a window.

Speaking via video link from Norwich prison, Boydon admitted causing criminal damage to his mother's car, her house and a police car which he hit with missiles during the siege.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting two constables - one while in custody - and verbally abusing officers as they stood outside the house.

Boydon said: “I felt threatened. All the police had weapons so I wanted to have one, too. I didn't know what to do.”

Prosecutor Mitzy Bond said 15 police cars, two riot vans, a helicopter and an ambulance were called to the house during the siege, while several neighbouring homes had to be evacuated and the road blocked off.

The incident began at 10pm when Boydon snapped a windscreen wiper from his mother's Volkswagen Golf and smashed every window as well as pulling a door off. When the police arrived, he barricaded himself in a bedroom. His mother was evacuated to a nearby house.

One constable was hurt and a police car windscreen was smashed as glass and furniture rained down from the window where Boydon stood holding a large kitchen knife and a baseball bat.

Police negotiators were called in during the three-hour stand-off, but eventually armed police in riot gear had to break in and drag Boydon from the property.

After he was arrested, he hurt a police officer who came into his cell by grabbing her wrists and refusing to let go.

When he was released on bail, he also smashed a pane of glass in the front door of the police station when he kicked it.

He told magistrates he had boiled over after his relationship with his mother deteriorated.

For the siege and assault, Boydon was sentenced to 11 weeks in a young offenders' institution, and he was given an extra three weeks in place of an old community order, which was revoked.

He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to his mother, Claire, and a total of £125 to the officers he assaulted.

A NEIGHBOUR today told of her anger towards Lemar Boydon.

Janet McLaughlin, whose fence was broken during the siege, said: “I have had air guns fired at me from him, I have had my windows broken, eggs thrown at my windows, I have had everything so it did not surprise me, that's just how he is.

“I was hoping they were going to get rid of him completely.

“Fourteen weeks is not enough, it should be 14 years. There are dozens of people around here who would like him gone for good. He is a trouble-maker.

“I saw it all because I was at my bedroom window.

“We did not realise why the police did not shoot him with a stun gun, but his cat was on the window sill.

“He just went berserk.

“The way he ripped that car apart was unbelievable. Then the next thing you know he is throwing the house through the window.”