A man has been jailed for nine months – and another handed a suspended prison sentence – for a ‘gratuitous and unprovoked’ attack outside a row of shops.

Nicholas Carter and Flynn Matthews appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for unlawfully wounding a man last summer.

The victim was left with four scalp lacerations, a black eye and a split lip following the attack in Valley Way, Newmarket, on Saturday, June 15, 2019.

Carter, 30, of Hollybush Corner, Bradfield St George, was said to have drunkenly instigated the attack by punching the man before Matthews, 23, of no fixed address, used a shop sign to continue the beating, which ended with a kick from Carter’s shod foot.

The pair admitted wounding without intent to cause grievous bodily harm on August 27.

The court heard that the victim was standing with a friend outside Betfred when set upon at about 9.30pm. He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital with four lacerations to the scalp – one requiring staples and three needing to be glued shut.

Carter and Matthews were identified and arrested weeks later – but were not charged until May this year.

Joanne Eley, for Carter, said her client spent that time “reflecting on his behaviour and effectively turning his life around” – from being unemployed, misusing drink and drugs, and becoming increasingly depressed, to expecting his first child and being promised conditional employment depending on the outcome of Wednesday’s hearing.

“He accepts his behaviour was appalling. He is hugely regretful,” she added.

The court heard Carter had 16 convictions for 25 offences, including racially aggravated assault, while Matthews had 20 previous convictions for 38 offences, including dangerous driving, for which he was convicted in December and jailed in March – seven days before he was due for release from a previous sentence – and remains an inmate at Bedford prison.

Judge Emma Peters called the attack “cruel, violent, nasty, gratuitous and unprovoked”.

Matthews was jailed for a further nine months, while Carter was handed a 12-month term, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work, a three-month ban from licensed premises and up to 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.