Pensioner injured in Lowestoft attack

A SUFFOLK pensioner suffered cuts and bruises after being knocked to the ground and kicked in the head, a court has heard.James Bruce, 67, had become involved in an argument with Jodie Wood and Simon Somerville in an alley in Lowestoft and was punched twice by Somerville, Ipswich Crown Court heard yesterday.

A SUFFOLK pensioner suffered cuts and bruises after being knocked to the ground and kicked in the head, a court has heard.

James Bruce, 67, had become involved in an argument with Jodie Wood and Simon Somerville in an alley in Lowestoft and was punched twice by Somerville, Ipswich Crown Court heard yesterday.

Mr Bruce fell to the ground and was then kicked by Wood and Somerville. At one stage Mr Bruce heard Wood telling Somerville 'kick his head in', said Azza Brown, prosecuting.

The incident came to an end when a member of the public saw what was going on and Somerville and Wood had run off. Mr Bruce was taken to hospital where he was found to have a swollen and bruised face, cuts to his nose and forehead and pain in his back in the area of his kidneys.

Somerville was stopped by police in the area and was seen to have blood on the bottom of his trousers and tears to his jacket.

After her arrest Wood initially claimed that Mr Bruce had been aggressive towards her and said she had been acting in self-defence.

Somerville also claimed that Mr Bruce had started the incident.

Somerville, 23, of Denmark Road, Lowestoft and Wood, 19, of Coppice Court, Lowestoft both admitted assaulting Mr Bruce causing him actual bodily harm on August 19 last year.

Somerville was jailed for 26 weeks and Wood was sentenced to 29 weeks in a young offenders' institute.

David Pickersgill for Somerville said he had been a heroin addict but had been receiving help and had made good progress.