Violent railway station robber jailed

A 24-year-old homeless man who knocked one victim on to the track at an Essex railway station before robbing him has been jailed indefinitely.

Ian Tomlinson, of no fixed address, attacked and robbed men at stations in Ipswich, Diss in Norfolk and Colchester in Essex during June last year.

Ipswich Crown Court Judge John Devaux said he was a danger to the public and must serve a minimum of five years.

He had admitted three counts of robbery and theft of a motorbike.

'Continued danger'

The court heard that Tomlinson carried out a campaign of violent robberies targeting men at railway stations over a 10-day period during June last year.

He followed his Essex victim off the train at Colchester shortly after midnight and threw a brick at his head knocking him unconscious on to the main line.

"The brick was thrown at close range as the man waited on the platform," the court was told.

The victim fell onto the tracks where he lay motionless as Tomlinson climbed down and stole money from his pockets.

Judge Devaux gave him an indefinite jail sentence saying that the violence he had displayed made him a continued danger.