A man accused of the attempted murder of a woman who sustained a throat wound in Garrick Way, Ipswich, had his first court hearing delayed today after an interpreter failed to turn up.

Lianjun Sun, of Cromer Road, Ipswich, was due to appear before South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court this morning aided by a Mandarin interpreter so he could understand proceedings.

However, the 51-year-old, who is charged with attempting to murder Ruo Jun Tian, was unable to be brought into court as no translator arrived for the hearing.

After calls to Capita, which has the Government contract to run the court interpreting service nationally, the hearing was put off until this afternoon.

Meanwhile Ruo Jun Tian - who is in her 40s - remains in a critical, but stable condition at Ipswich Hospital, according to a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman.

She was discovered at the bottom of a set of stairs and is said to have sustained injuries to her throat and head during an incident on Friday afternoon.

Police were called by paramedics who attended the scene.

Officers cordoned off an area around the New China takeaway restaurant and a door leading to the flats above.

Sun was arrested a short time later after police went to Cromer Road. He was charged with attempted murder yesterday afternoon, when it is understood an interpreter was requested on his behalf for court today.

A second man, a 55-year-old from Ipswich, was also arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

He has been released on police bail, pending further enquiries, and must return to Martlesham police investigation centre on December 3.