THE tattooed face of Shaun Ellis is behind bars today to protect the public from his violent nature.

Helen Skene

THE tattooed face of Shaun Ellis is behind bars today to protect the public from his violent nature.

The 42-year-old went to Nicholas Tiller's Felixstowe home, took a kitchen knife into his bedroom and slashed his face leaving him with a permanent seven-inch disfigurement.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that in 1983 Ellis was sentenced for manslaughter after he fractured an 18-year-old's skull with a scaffold pole and in 1991 Ellis was convicted of wounding a man with intent to do him serious harm.

These attacks were followed by a string of lesser violent offences which led to this latest drink and drugs fuelled rage.

Before unanimously finding Ellis guilty of wounding Mr Tiller with intent to cause a serious injury, the jury heard that on August 10 last year Ellis had drunk lager and taken ecstasy before receiving a threatening text message from Tiller.

It said: “Shaun, you are a dead man walking, you better sleep with both eyes open”.

Mr Tiller accused Ellis, of The Walk, Felixstowe, of having a sexual relationship with his girlfriend, Debbie Robinson and he had sent her a similar text.

Ellis went to Mr Tiller's flat in Lincoln Terrace took a 10-inch kitchen knife from the sink and woke Mr Tiller before slicing his face.

Ellis told police he only intended to make a “nick” in his skin. He said: “I'm not a dangerous person”.

Matthew Edwards, mitigating, said his client's violent history was due to substance abuse and added that Ellis had become drug free since his arrest in August.

He said: “He has committed three serious offences and they were all connected with the life style he was leading but we now have a man who has changed this around.”

Judge John Devaux said to Ellis: “The court welcomes the recent change in your lifestyle but it is not long compared to your years of criminality.

“I do find there is a significant risk to the public of serious harm so I have to impose a sentence for public protection.”

Ellis was jailed for a minimum of three years. After that time the parole board will decide when he is no longer a serious risk to the public.

Judge Devaux said Ellis would remain on licence for life following his eventual release from prison.