THIS is the shocking moment an angry thug shoves a frail pensioner to the ground in a random attack after moaning that a library was “too noisy.”
The harrowing assault unfolded in Salisbury, Wiltshire, when Mickey Johnson, 37, suddenly approached the pensioner, 80.
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Johnson had reportedly never met the pensioner, who is understood to have done nothing to provoke the younger man.
Video footage of the random assault shows the pensioner walking along the road with a woman.
As they approach the entrance to the library Johnson emerges from the building.
The younger man appears to shout something at the pensioner before approaching him.
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He then uses both hands to violently shove the elderly man, without warning.
Falling to the ground, the pensioner appears to hit his head on the concrete road and remains motionless on the floor.
Johnson continues to shout and gesture as the woman accompanying the pensioner checks if he is okay.
People begin to gather round to see if the older man is okay while his attacker can be seen standing at the entrance to the library shouting.
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Following the incident the elderly man was left with a deep cut to his forehead and pain in his hips and arms.
After members of the public rushed to help the pensioner and called the police, Johnson fled the scene.
He was eventually tracked down and arrested while trying to leave the city.
During police interviews Johnson initially gave no comment before admitting to the assault.
He blamed the vile attack on his mental health, saying he had become frustrated because it was too noisy in the library for him to read.
Johnson, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Swindon Magistrates’ Court – he is due to be sentenced on October 21.
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Detective Sergeant Joshua Bliss said: “This is a senseless attack where Michael Johnson attacked a man in his 80s, causing him to suffer a serious facial injury.
“The victim was unknown to the suspect and they had no interaction before the assault.
“The victim didn’t even look in the suspect’s direction before he was approached and attacked.
“The suspect has not provided any reason for the attack, other than that he is struggling with his mental health and had been frustrated about noise in the library.
“The victim is vulnerable by virtue of his advanced years, and so his injuries could have been significantly worse.
“I would like to convey my huge thanks to the multiple members of the public who witnessed the attack and immediately intervened by chasing the offender away.
“These same members of the public provided vital first aid to the victim until emergency services arrived.
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“I also want to thank the local businesses within Salisbury city centre, who supported our investigation by allowing us access to their CCTV systems, which enabled us to track the suspect’s movements and obtain a clear image of his face.
“This huge support from the community gave us the tools to swiftly track Johnson down and arrest him.”