The victim of a completely random attack in a quiet Nottingham suburb says he is "paranoid" the offender may strike again. The man says he was thrown to the ground and stomped on as he walked home from the shop.
On the evening of May 12 the victim, who asked that he remain anonymous, says he had been walking home from the shops along Mansfield Road when the incident happened. The man had just walked past the Church (Rock) Cemetery and along Chestnut Grove in Mapperley when the offender struck.
And now he fears the man, who remains at large, could strike again. The victim told Nottinghamshire Live: "I thought I was going to die. It was just so random and out of the blue.
Read more: Man locked up for attack on Sheffield United captain
"I would understand if he said give me your wallet or phone, but he didn't. I just turned onto Chestnut Grove and I heard him shout. He asked for directions and was staring at me. And then he just said: 'You need to protect yourself'. He then punched me and he stamped on my head. It was quite horrific. Nothing was said between us."
The victim says the offender only stopped stomping on his head when a neighbour walking her dog spotted the attack and shouted. The offender then fled the scene.
"I said I'm more worried because if it was not for one of my neighbours shouting when she saw it happen he would have just carried on," he added.
"He had work clothes on. He was a a big fella and I could hear his footsteps pounding the ground as he ran off. I got up to the wall and called the police and they called an ambulance. I've got boot marks on my face. I could not do anything other than put my hands and arms around my face.
"It has made me extremely paranoid. He was about six foot, stocky and had dark skin. He had a Covid mask, a company logo on a jumper and a woollen hat. There is someone still out there."
The incident happened between 8.30pm and 8.45pm on May 12.
A police spokesman said: “We are investigating reports of an assault on a man in Chestnut Grove at around 8.30pm on the evening of Thursday 12 May. Our investigation into what happened is ongoing and we ask any additional witnesses to call 101 quoting incident 747 of 12 May.”