A 30-year-old who fled the country after a serious assault that left an Ipswich man suffering the 'worst pain of his life' will be sentenced tomorrow.

Edgars Slavinskis was arrested at Stansted Airport in April this year - four years after he attacked 40-year-old Raimonds Gromolds at his home in Harland Street, Ipswich, on June 9, 2019.

Mr Gromolds suffered extensive head and facial injuries and damage to his spleen in the attack and died in 2021. 

Slavinskis originally faced a murder charge, but this was dropped in June after it was found Mr Gormolds died of natural causes. 

On June 12, Slavinskis, of Eclipse Court, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Gromolds with intent.

He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by sending a message to Mr Gromolds on the day of the attack asking him not to make a statement to the police about the assault.

On Wednesday, the court heard the defendant knocked on the victim's door at around 4am looking for his girlfriend who had been on a night out with Mr Gromolds partner. 

In a statement taken at the time of the attack, Mr Gromolds said he remembered being punched by Slavinskis on his doorstep but then blacked out and did not wake up until he was in A&E. 

Mr Gromolds, who was unable to work after the incident, said the pain to his head and stomach was the "worst he had ever felt in his life".

Kate Wilkinson, prosecuting, said she believed Slavinskis should be given a sentence of seven to 10 years in prison. 

Stephen Rose, for Slavinskis, called the defendant "remorseful" and suggested he was at low risk of reoffending with no history of violence. 

He asked Judge Martyn Levett to sentence 'with mercy' and said he is a hard-working family man who now has two children and "desires to make the best of himself."