A MAN who burst into the kitchen of a young Lowestoft couple while they were at home with their baby and robbed them of cash has been locked up for four years.

Wilson Furtado, 20 and another man had entered the house in Trafalgar Street through an unlocked rear door while the couple were feeding their eight-month-old son in a high chair.

Joanne Eley, prosecuting, told Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday that the man with Furtado had grabbed hold of the child's father and pushed him against a wall while Furtado opened cupboard doors in the kitchen looking for cash.

During the incident there was some movement near the baby's high chair and the mother moved it out of the way.

The men left several minutes later after finding cash in a coffee jar, Miss Eley said.

After the incident, the mother chased the men down the street for about 50 yards before giving up.

Furtado later told police he had gone to see the baby's father to buy cannabis and on the way had decided to steal drugs and cash. But Miss Eley said it was not accepted by the prosecution that there were any drugs at the house. Furtado, of Minden Road, Lowestoft, admitted robbery and was sentenced to four years detention in a young offenders' institution with an extended licence period of two years.

Sentencing him, Judge Rupert Overbury said Furtado had admitted the offence on the basis that he considered he was owed money by the man he robbed.

He said Furtado had known the man for four months and claimed to know he kept cash in his kitchen.

Camilla Whitehouse, for Furtado, said he had not used any violence and there was no forced entry to the house.