An Ipswich man labelled a “professional criminal” has been jailed for stealing from an Indian restaurant and two shops.

Gavin Dighton, of Fonnereau Road in the centre of town, appeared before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced for three offences of burglary from a building other than a dwelling.

On June 30, the 45-year-old entered the India Gate restaurant in Laburnum Close and stole a TV monitor. 

On the same day, Dighton had also entered the Co-op store in Sheldrake Drive, and stole tobacco products of an unknown value. He also trespassed into a Penalty store in Ipswich, and stole a cash till and three bottles of AU vodka. 

Dighton indicated guilty pleas for all three offences. 

He was sentenced to four months custodial time for each of the three burglaries, which will be served consecutively.

This brings Dighton’s total custodial sentence to 12 months, of which four months will be served in prison.

According to court documents, the reason for imposing a prison sentence was because “the defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property” and “because the number and nature of the offences shows that the defendant is operating as a professional criminal”.