A man has admitted pushing an elderly man to the ground in an unprovoked assault in Salisbury city centre.
Mickey Johnson, 37, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday, September 2.
The incident took place on Tuesday, September 1, as an elderly couple walked past the library in Salisbury.
Johnson approached the 80-year-old man and pushed him to the ground without warning.
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The victim, who did not know Johnson, suffered a deep cut to his forehead and pain in his hips and arms.
Johnson left the scene while members of the public helped the injured man and called emergency services.
Detectives from South CID quickly attended the scene and began enquiries to identify the suspect.
Johnson was located and arrested as he attempted to leave the city.
He initially gave no comment answers during his police interview but later admitted to the assault.
He told officers he was frustrated because it was too loud in the library to read and blamed his actions on his mental health.
Detective Sergeant Joshua Bliss from South CID 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."
DS Bliss also praised the actions of those who came to the victim’s aid.
He said: "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.
"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."
Johnson is due to be sentenced on October 21.
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