A HOMELESS man has been jailed for ten years for attacking an elderly man and leaving him for dead.

Roy Barclay, 46, attacked an 82-yearold passer-by over a harmless remark the pensioner made about him rummaging for pizza in bins outside a parade of shops.

Leslie Gunfield, spotting Barclay looking for pizza boxes in the bins and quipped: “You’ve got a good haul there.” It was enough to spark a vicious attack which left Mr Gunfield with injuries which left him in need of extensive facial reconstruction.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard the pensioner’s upper jaw was detached from the rest of his skull by the February 22 attack, in Elm Tree Avenue, Frinton.

The floor and inner and outer walls of both eye sockets were fractured, as were both cheekbones. He also suffered multiple broken nasal bones, the roof of his mouth was split and he had multiple facial cuts.

The beating also left him with a lifethreatening subdural bleed on his brain which put him in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. Mr Gunfield has since had ten titanium plates screwed into his skull Barclay was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and originally denied the offence, changing his plea on the day his trial was due to start.

Passing sentence, Judge Patricia Lynch QC, said: “This was a savage attack for no good reason on an 82- year-old man, who was left for dead, and whose life has changed as a result.”

Richard Stevens, prosecuting, said Mr Gunfield walked past the shops at 7am to buy a newspaper and spotted Barclay rummaging in the bins for pizza. Mr Stevens added: “He made a comment towards Barclay along the lines of ‘You’ve got a good haul there’.”

Barclay followed him and while out of sight of CCTV cameras for just 53 seconds, attacked Mr Gunfield.

He jumped on him and punched him in the head and face, then fled.

He was arrested the next day after police recognised his description.

A victim impact statement from Mr Gunfield said his injuries now prevented from playing bowls – his great love – or working on his allotment.

Barclay’s lawyer, Graham Brown, told the judge Barclay had no previous convictions and had lived a homeless life for the past 13 years.

He added: “He fully accepts his responsibility for this awful violence.

“He really regrets what he has done. He accepts it will be a severe punishment. He has no justification for what he did that day.”