Man jailed after unprovoked attack in Ipswich town centre

Sentencing 49-year-old Joseph Sanoh, Judge Emma Peters said he had been sitting on the ground outside the Great White Horse Hotel at around 11am when he attacked the victim as he walked round the corner.

Judge Peters described the attack as “inexplicable and unprovoked” on the victim, who she said was entirely blameless.

“It was a terrifying attack not just for the victim but for passers-by and families who were shopping.

"Incidents like this have an impact on the town centre as a whole as if people see mindless inexplicable violence it puts them off going into the town centre,” she said.

The court heard that Sanoh, who has 128 previous convictions, had run at the victim and punched him.

He had then repeatedly struck him in the face and upper body with his fists and the victim had fallen to the ground and hit his head on the ground.

Sanoh, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, who admitted unlawful wounding, had then kicked the victim while he was on the ground.

The victim told police he’d never seen Sanoh before the “random” incident.

Following his arrest Sanoh told police: “I hit who I want to hit."

As a result of the incident the victim suffered a cut to his elbow and forehead, a black eye and bruising to his ribs, shoulder and upper arm.

Steven Dyble, for Sanoh, said although his client had a bad record, only eight of his previous convictions were for assault and none were as serious as the current offence.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said he’d become extremely paranoid since the attack in May this year and was always looking behind him when he was out.