A CHEF knocked a man to the ground leaving him in need of specialist hospital treatment in a “mindless” and unprovoked attack.

Dominic Killen approached a man and a woman at a cash machine in Whitehawk Road, Brighton, shortly before midnight on June 1, 2018.

He then punched and headbutted the 44-year-old victim, detectives said at the time, before striking him with a bottle.

The Argus:

Killen then handed himself in to police after a huge social media appeal was launched for his whereabouts.

But he denied the offence, drawing court proceedings out for two years before he was finally jailed late last month.

Killen, who lived in nearby Whitehawk Way, launched the vicious attack as his victim and a woman were withdrawing cash from an ATM.

The assault forced the man to the ground causing him to hit his head and suffer serious injuries.

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital before being transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

There, he received specialist treatment for head and facial injuries.

Following the incident, detectives launched an appeal for the whereabouts of a suspect, now known to be Killen.

The Argus:

They released CCTV images of the 39-year-old and asked people to keep an eye out for a man with a black tattoo on the top of one arm, urging anyone who recognised him or had any information that might help them with their enquiries to contact police.

The appeal was widely shared on social media and was soon seen by Killen himself, who handed himself in to officers.

The Argus:

The chef was arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

He denied the offence and, as a result, the case was due to go to trial.

But, he later decided to change his plea to guilty and, at Lewes Crown Court on June 29, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Investigating officer police constable Russell Smith said: “This was a mindless attack on an innocent man, resulting in serious injuries which required reconstruction.

“Not only does he have to live with these injuries; he also had to endure more than two years before seeing justice served, as the defendant initially refused to claim responsibility for his actions.

“The sentence handed to Killen demonstrates our commitment to catching criminals, and to keeping victims of crime safe and feeling safe.”