Two jailed after man hit with wrench in burglary

Two men have been jailed after a burglary in which a man was attacked with a wrench.

The victim, in his 30s, was also punched in the face at a house on Beccles Road, Lowestoft in Suffolk, on 2 December 2023.

Richard Aldous, 44, from Witham in Essex, was jailed for eight years at Ipswich Crown Court after admitting charges including aggravated burglary and assault.

Benjamin Newcombe, 40, from Thurmaston in Leicestershire, was sentenced to 40 months in prison.

Suffolk Police said the victim was upstairs in the bedroom when he heard a window being smashed downstairs.

He went to the top of the stairs to investigate where he was confronted by Aldous – who was known to him – and Newcombe, who he did not recognise.

The force said the victim was punched twice in the face by Newcombe, before Aldous attempted to hit him in the face with a wrench which the victim managed to block with his wrist, but he was then hit in the back with the tool.

A watch, necklace, bracelet and mobile phone were taken.

Aldous, of Lea Lane, pleaded guilty to the charges of aggravated burglary and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

He was jailed for seven years and seven months for the aggravated burglary and received a six-month concurrent sentence for the possession of an offensive weapon.

He had also pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm relating to a separate incident, for which he received a five-month consecutive prison term and a five-month concurrent term.

Newcombe, of Alexandra Street, pleaded guilty to burglary.

He also admitted permitting his premises to be used for the production of cannabis for which he received a six-month concurrent prison sentence.

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