A man was in prison today for affray after phoning police investigating his crime to tell them their witness appeal was wrong.
The appeal, released the day after the incident at the Sharman Road lake in the St James area of Northampton on May 19, said a man had approached an angler, grabbed him by the neck and demanded his fishing kit.

But after it was published in the press, Paul Snelson effectively shopped himself by calling Northamptonshire Police on May 21 to complain that the appeal details were incorrect.

He claimed he had not approached the victim, and said he had instead been acting in self-defence. The call led to his arrest and he was charged.

Snelson, 20, of Caledonian House, Argyll Street, Northampton, was sentenced at the town's Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to affray.

He was also sentenced for two counts of actual bodily harm which he admitted in a previous hearing, and one count of arson.

He was handed a 30-month sentence, concurrent for all offences.