A THUG jailed for attacking a family has been jailed again.

Sonny Lonsdale attacked a father and grandmother and was sent to prison for attempted robbery and assault.

This week he was brought up from his cell to be sentenced again, this time for attempting to deal cocaine in Colchester.

Lonsdale, of Ladbrook Drive, Colchester, launched a “vicious and unprovoked attack on a driver and his mother-in-law”, according to an Essex Police spokesman.

He then tried to steal a car with two young children still sat inside.

Lonsdale was travelling from Colchester to Brightlingsea when the green Ford Focus he was in began tailgating the car in front.

He followed the car to an address in Pertwee Close, Brightlingsea.

Lonsdale leapt out of the car, ran across the front garden and began attacking the driver of the other car.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “ The victim was knocked to the ground and punched and kicked repeatedly in front of his mother-in-law who had been inside the house waiting for him to arrive.

“When the woman screamed at Lonsdale to leave her son-in-law alone, Lonsdale grabbed her around the throat and demanded she hand over the keys to her son-in-law’s car, knowing his children were still inside the vehicle.”

Lonsdale eventually fled leaving both victims injured.

A hunt began and, following an appeal for information, he was caught and arrested.

He denied attempted robbery and assault but a jury found him guilty of both on January 18.

He was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for attempted robbery and four months, to run concurrently, for the assault.

The attack took place on September 20, 2014.

PC Adam Phillips said: “We will never know why he attacked an innocent family man and his mother-in-law in front of two young children.

“I feel the jury made the correct decision given the weight of the evidence presented to them and I am satisfied the victims and their families have been served justice.”

On Wednesday Lonsdale was jailed again, for the second time in three weeks.

This time he was sent to prison for three years and four months after admitting one count of possession with intent to supply the class A drug cocaine.

He was caught with the drugs in Ladbrook Drive on January 27, 2015.

Lonsdale had a container, hidden in a sock, with three compartments containing about 10g of cocaine.

The cocaine had been mixed with harmful chemicals.

His sentence for drug dealing will be served at the same time as his sentence for the family attacks.