Air pistol lands dad in jail

A father-of-10 who took an air pistol into a pub has been jailed for six months.

Herman Crouch, 54, of Emmanuel Close, Mildenhall, pleaded guilty to a charge of affray when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court last Wednesday.

The court heard that armed police were sent to an address in Newmarket after customers at the town’s Palomino pub in Valley Way reported having been shown what appeared to be a handgun tucked into the waistband of Crouch’s trousers on April 28.

Christopher Paxton, prosecuting, said officers found Crouch at a house in Newmarket and he co-operated with them, admitting that he had taken an air pistol into the pub.

The weapon had the appearance of a real handgun, the court heard.

In mitigation, Mark Roochove said the father-of-10 regretted his actions and had been remanded in custody since his arrest in April.

Crouch was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.