Man Receives Suspended Sentence After Taking Rifles, Causing School Lockdown

A man who removed high-powered air rifles from a residence, leading to a school lockdown while authorities searched for him, has been given a 19-month suspended prison sentence. Jai Souter, 32, of Rigbourne Hill in Beccles, Suffolk, took the two weapons from a property on the same road at approximately 13:00 BST on 14 May. He also admitted to charges of affray, possession of a knife, and the production of cannabis. During his sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court, his criminal record was described as “appalling.” In May, law enforcement was alerted by witnesses who observed Souter placing one of the rifles in a garden. Shortly thereafter, police responded to reports of a burglary on the same street, where they were informed that the air rifles had been taken. Nearby Albert Pye Community Primary School initiated a brief, police-recommended lockdown while officers conducted their search for Souter. Andrew Thompson, representing Souter, informed the court that Souter maintained he was assisting a friend in vacating the property, rather than committing a burglary. Mr Thompson stated that there was “no indication” that the air rifles were intended for use. “When they were removed they were in their bags. It doesn’t indicate any sinister use,” he said. Souter’s criminal history includes 19 convictions for 48 prior offences, among them possession of a stun gun and a knife. The court was informed that the two air rifles met the definition of firearms. While typically no license is necessary to possess such a weapon, Souter is prohibited from handling them due to a prior conviction related to a stun gun. Testimony presented in court indicated that Souter had previously exhibited “impulsive” behavior but was currently in a stable relationship and aspired to become a barber. Souter received a 15-month sentence for the affray, an incident on 18 June during which he threatened a man with a knife and “lunged” at him. Additionally, he was given a four-month sentence for the possession of firearms, to be served concurrently. A consecutive four-month sentence was imposed for possessing a knife in October 2023. The cumulative 19-month sentence was suspended for a period of two years. Judge Talbot-Hadley told him: “Your record is pretty appalling. “That’s probably explained by a lot of things in your background; a history of using substances, all sorts of things.” Souter, who stated he ceased drinking a year prior, requested a GPS monitor—an electronic device capable of verifying an individual’s location—as a component of his probation agreement. “GPS is something I wanted to do. I think that would be a really good thing for me,” he said. “It would stop me from hanging around with old, bad associates.” “That’s an excuse for me to stay away from them.”