Dad-of-six jailed for stamping attack on frail Portsmouth cancer sufferer

A frail recovering cancer sufferer was attacked in a ‘violent and unprovoked’ when a drunken thug mistook him for his ex-partner’s new boyfriend.
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Portsmouth Crown Court heard the victim was on the way to a shop leaving his home of 15 years in Kempenfelt House when Ansumana Manneh launched the attack - punching him, kicking and stamping on the man in the shared stairwell.

Dad-of-six Manneh, 39, denied causing grievous bodily harm but while giving evidence at his trial last week said it could have been caused when he punched the victim, defence barrister Rebecca Fairbairn said.

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Ansumana Manneh was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for 32 monthsAnsumana Manneh was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for 32 months
Ansumana Manneh was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for 32 months
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Furious Manneh had been in a blazing row with his daughter’s mother, his ex-partner, as he was fuelled by ‘jealousy’ thinking she had been with another man.

Their row spilled out into the stairwell at the block in Bishop Street, Portsea, and downstairs where a man shouted to Manneh to stop. He had to hold the back external door as Manneh punched the glass.

It was then the victim came down the stairs and was mistaken for Manneh’s ex’s new partner - viciously attacking him.

Now Manneh, of Arundel Street, Landport, has been jailed for 32 months. He will serve half.

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Judge William Ashworth, who said the victim was frail, said: ‘You grabbed him, and pushed him to the floor.

‘You kicked him to the head at least once and then stamped on his head at least once before he passed out, which caused a fracture to his cheekbone and bruises to his face and scalp and body.’

The judge, who was briefly shown a pencil-sketch drawing of a lion by Manneh as the criminal is HMP Winchester’s art mentor, added: ‘You left him motionless bleeding on the floor.’

Manneh shook his head, tutted and uttered ‘lies’ during the judge’s sentencing remarks.

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In a statement, the victim said: ‘This attack was violent and unprovoked.’

He added: ‘At the time this incident happened I left my flat to go to the shop and had absolutely no idea what was about to happen.

‘It happened so quickly but the after-effects still stay with me. While I have sustained serious physical injuries I have suffered with the mental side of things.’

He said: ‘I was not a well man. I was recovering from throat cancer. Following on from this attack I have suffered two cardiac arrests.

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‘I do personally feel it’s contributed as I’m always stressed now.’

The court heard Manneh has a poor attitude towards police - having 17 convictions for 37 offences largely covering three incidents that are mostly linked to assaults on police and security.

Mitigating, Ms Fairbairn said: ‘The reality is that when not in drink he’s a very reasonable man to deal with.’

Manneh also changed his shoes in a bid to conceal what he had done, the judge said.