Ipswich: Man Jailed After Woman Is Robbed In A Park

11 September 2013, 15:11 | Updated: 11 September 2013, 15:26

A man who threatened a woman with a knife and beat her as she walked with her two children in Ipswich - has been jailed.

The 38 year old victim, from Ipswich had been walking through Christchurch Park in Ipswich at around 11am, Saturday 25 May with her two children, aged 1 and 3 years.

She was near to the bowling green when a man walked up to her and told her to hand over her purse. He was holding a knife in his hand. She said no and started screaming but the man ran towards her and attacked her, head butting her first and then as she ran off he hit her three – four times on her back. The woman handed over her purse containing £25 and the man ran off.

Joshua Potkins, aged 21 from Cromwell Square, Ipswich was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

Potkins pleaded guilty to the charges and has been sentenced to 40 months for the robbery and 12 months concurrent for possession of the knife.

Detective Inspector Eamonn Bridger from Ipswich CID who oversaw the investigation said: “This was a particularly distressing attack on the victim in front of her two young children. She has been incredibly strong throughout and was able to give us a detailed description of Potkins, which enabled us to capture nearby images of him visiting Christchurch Mansion just before the attack took place.

“The CCTV images together with an e fit image which turned out to be a very strong likeness to Potkins were circulated via the media the following day.

“These images, together with a detailed description and statement given to us by the victim lead us to the quick arrest of Potkins a few days later.

“To attack a female in broad daylight whilst walking with a toddler and pushing a push chair through a tranquil park and then threaten her with a meat cleaver is an appalling, cowardly crime. I hope that today’s sentencing will go some way to provide justice for the victim and her children.”