A paranoid thug headbutted, punched and kicked a man in front of shocked witnesses.

Several bystanders intervened as Peter Ellwood launched his vicious attack on Abbas Emdadi-Zarnagi in broad daylight in Whitehaven town centre.

Ellwood, 33, was jailed for 18 months at Carlisle Crown Court having admitted an actual bodily harm assault.

Beccy McGregor, prosecuting, said Mr Zarnagi was waiting for a bus, at about 2.20pm.

He was approached by Ellwood, who had been staring at him.

"He said words similar to 'I will kill you'," said Ms McGregor.

"At this stage he viciously attacked Mr Zarnagi. He headbutted him and repeatedly punched him."

"Bleeding, and starting to panic", Mr Zarnagi told Ellwood to go away.

Ellwood did retreat briefly, before returning to kick and punch Mr Zarnagi.

"He was screaming in pain during the attack and felt his nose break. He was covered in blood and in shock," said Ms McGregor.

He was helped by a bystander, "slipped out of consciousness" and was "whimpering in pain".

"He also described his shock at the incident, having not done anything to the defendant; how he felt he might be killed," added Ms McGregor.

When interviewed by police, Ellwood said in a prepared statement he suffered from various mental illnesses and had not taken medication for six days.

He was hearing voices, and believed he was being stared at and followed by a man.

His violence occurred just weeks after he received a suspended prison term for attacking a man inside a Manchester supermarket.

Ellwood was said to have acted in a "drug-induced psychosis" in Whitehaven, as a result of self-medication with drink and drugs.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said: "Custody is a difficult place for him in respect of mental health and the difficulties he has.

"While custody will protect the public and keep him off the streets, he really does need to address what causes him to offend, and offend in such ways."

Jailing Ellwood, of Seven Acres, Parton, Whitehaven, Recorder David Potter said of his attack: "It was, in my judgement, an unprovoked violent assault in a public place, in the middle of the day.

"It is clearly a distressing incident both to the complainant and passers-by, some of whom intervened to assist."

The attack happened on May 25.