Shop robber is jailed

A man deliberately got himself arrested by shoplifting so that he could confess to a robbery he had carried out more than a year earlier, a court has heard.

A man deliberately got himself arrested by shoplifting so that he could confess to a robbery he had carried out more than a year earlier, a court has heard.

Jason Knights was arrested after stealing from a shop in view of a security guard, and once in police custody admitted robbing a shop in the town in December 2008, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

As well as admitting robbing Penny's store in Norwich Road, Lowestoft, Knights pleaded guilty to a burglary at a house in Park Road in the town in January this year. He also asked for two other offences of burglary to be taken into consideration.

Knights, of Denmark Road in Lowestoft, was yesterday jailed for two years.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said that Ian Stewart, the owner of the Penny's shop, was alone in the store when two men disguised in masks and hoods entered and demanded money from the till.

One of the men had been carrying a hammer and, fearing for his safety, Mr Stewart had opened the till and the robbers stole �50 cash and a staff Christmas bonus box, which had been on the counter.

Stephen Dyble, for Knights, said his client had a long history of drug abuse, and at the age of 33 had made up his mind to turn his life around and 'wipe the slate clean'.