A pensioner was subjected to extreme violence by a savage thug who left him battered and bloodied with around 90 kicks, stamps and punches for absolutely no reason.
The 65-year-old victim was suddenly set upon by a brute half his age in the foyer of his block of flats in Newcastle.
Liam Irving spent the next seven minutes delivering sickening blows to his head and body, including taking a run up to kick his head and steadying himself against a wall to stamp with full force on his him.
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A court heard Irving can be seen on CCTV of the onslaught "strutting around as if you were pleased with what you were doing" and talking toward the camera as he gave himself a breather from the ferocious attack.
He ignored the pleas for mercy by his battered and bloodied victim, who was convinced he was going to die.
Irving, 33, of Cartmel Grove, Gateshead, who has 81 previous convictions, including for violence, was originally charged with attempted murder but prosecutors accepted his guilty plea to GBH with intent.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim was returning to his flat at Merlay Hall, Walker, in the early hours of March 29 last year after a trip to the shop to take some money out when he was targeted.
He became aware of being followed by Irving, who had left a nearby block and quickly closed the gap between them.
Outside the flats where the pensioner lives, Irving asked for a cigarette and after telling the victim his girlfriend lived there, he let him into the foyer.
Nick Dry, prosecuting, said: "Within seconds he was grabbed from behind by the defendant and taken to the ground.
"There then follows a ferocious seven-minute assault in which he was punched, kicked and stamped on multiple times to his head, body and legs. 90 or so blows were struck, all told.
"There was some initial resistance but he was quickly overwhelmed by the defendant who continued to rain down blows, taking a run up to deliver kicks and steadying himself against a wall as he stamped.
"His efforts caused him to pause briefly before he started again, showing no mercy for the battered, bloodied and utterly defenceless complainant.
"He exhausted himself, by which time the victim was lying prone in a pool of his own blood."
The victim can remember little about the attack but said Irving was "incoherent" and talking "gobbledygook".
Mr Dry said: "He did not get the impression he was being robbed, it just seems to be violence for violence sake."
He added: "It was a prolonged, persistent attack of the most savage kind."
Irving left the victim for dead and was later found lying in the middle of Walker Road under the influence of drink and drugs. He had the victim's house key on him.
The victim, who eventually managed to get up off the foyer floor and summon help, had what were initially thought to be life-threatening injuries and spent three weeks in hospital.
He had 11 broken ribs, multiple facial fractures and extensive soft tissue injuries to his head and face.
Referring to a victim impact statement, Mr Dry said: "He suffers flashbacks, panic attacks and anxiety and feels trapped in his flat.
"He doesn't feel safe in his own home, is scared to go out and has to pass the scene of the attack when he does.
"He describes himself as a nervous wreck.
"It's thought likely he suffered a stroke in consequence of the attack and has breathing difficulties and memory loss."
Jailing Irving for nine years, Judge Robert Adams said: "This was a ferocious attack which lasted seven minutes.
"There was no obvious motive at all, it was wholly unprovoked and was a vicious and sustained attack.
Ben Campbell, defending, said: "He has written a letter expressing his apology for what he has done.
"He feels deep regret and remorse.
"He has found it hard to come to terms with what he did that night and he feels a great deal of shame and remorse about it.
"He has a borderline personality disorder, with impulsivity and difficulty controlling his anger."
Mr Campbell added that Irving did not want the footage of what he did to be played in court and it wasn't.
