Sadistic Leeds robber repeatedly kicked unconscious man in the head as he lay stricken in the road

Horrified onlookers witnessed Shaun McGlinchey kicking the man with such force it moved his lifeless body.

Prosecutor Adam Walker described the details of the chilling incident to Leeds Crown Court, which the left the victim with a bleed to the brain, a fractured eye socket, cheek bone, leg and hip.

Passers-by called police on April 29 when they witnessed the stricken victim, with his trousers around his knees, unconscious face-down on Colton Road, Armley.

McGlinchey was seen rifling through the man’s pockets as he delivered powerful punches and kicks to the head. He was suffering fits when paramedics found him. McGlinchey took the man’s jacket, keys and mobile phone among other items.

In a victim impact statement, the victim says he continues to walk with a stick and fears the physical and emotional impact could last the rest of his life.

McGlinchey, of Gambling Hill Grange, Bramley, was arrested two weeks later after police analysed and recognised him from CCTV stills, but he then refused to answer questions.

He later admitted robbery and Section 18 GBH with intent. He has 29 previous convictions for 104 offences, including attempted robbery, assaults and ABH.

The court was told he had been released from prison just weeks before he attacked and robbed the man. He appeared in court this week via video link from HMP Doncaster, where he was being held on remand.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said: “He is deeply ashamed and embarrassed for what happened on that night. The underpinning feature is drug misuse. There is genuine remorse.”

Judge Christopher Batty said: “There is no explanation as to what this was all about. It was a deeply unpleasant and a persistent assault on an unconscious man.

“Quite what happened between you two we will never know. You showed him no mercy and you saw the opportunity to take from him as well. He could have died. He suffered grave injuries.”

He jailed McGlinchey for six years and told him he must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence, rather than the usual half, before being considered for parole.