Man jailed for kicking homeless woman in the face

A man who kicked a homeless woman in what police described as a "vicious and unprovoked attack" has been jailed.

Aaron Nomicas, of Larkhill in Wiltshire, was jailed for six months after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Salisbury Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The court heard the 20-year-old violently kicked the woman, aged in her 50s, on Market Walk in Salisbury at about 03:00 GMT on 17 January.

Sgt Joshua Bliss, from Wiltshire Police, said: "This was a highly impactful case - the victim is incredibly vulnerable and had no way of protecting herself or escaping."

Police said the woman had been lying on the floor "minding her own business and simply trying to keep warm" with her dog, Lance, at the time of the attack.

CCTV footage of the incident showed that Nomicas had to be restrained by the people with him.

The woman, who was unknown to Nomicas, suffered facial injuries which are not thought to be life-changing, police said.

In her account, the victim described Nomicas as a "coward".

"This is a sentiment shared by those involved in the investigation who saw the CCTV footage showing the attack," Bliss added.

He said: "This court result should send a clear message - if you are someone who preys on the most vulnerable and defenceless members of our community, we will swiftly track you down and we will bring you to justice."

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.