A MAN who launched a random and ‘violent’ attack in the middle of Monmouth's busy high street has been jailed for 28 months.

Newport Crown Court heard that Monnow Street was packed with shoppers and pedestrians on a sunny August afternoon when Andrew Taylor, 42, struck Richard Cole on the back of the head with a metal bar.

Taylor from Redbrook, who is also known as Andrew Bourke and has a long history of violence, pleaded guilty to affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), possession of a bladed article in a public place, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Prosecutor Nik Strobl said he launched the attack around 4.30pm on Monday, August 12, causing a two-and-a-half inch wound to the back of Mr Cole's head before waving a knife at Gary Trivett, who went to help.

Taylor was "irate" over a problem with his prescription at a pharmacy, and walked into the middle of the road near Waitrose when the victim's partner beeped him to get out of the way.

The defendant then confronted the woman driver, and when Mr Cole got out to protect her, Taylor took the metal bar out of his rucksack and "goaded" the passenger to hit him before striking him.

Taylor's barrister James Evans said the defendant had been assaulted first.

Passing sentence, Recorder Victoria Hillier told Taylor: “In self-defence, the victim did punch and kick you in the leg, but he didn't attempt to disarm you because he felt threatened as a result of your actions and the presence of the weapon.

“Following this you swung the metal bar at him and it collided with his wrist and part of it collided with the back of his head.

“There is then some kind of scuffle and the victim is not sure if he was hit again but there was one definite hit which caused bleeding from the back of his head.

"This must have been a very frightening experience for all those involved. You produced weapons in the middle of a busy street.”

The court heard that Taylor had 28 previous convictions for 54 offences, and was on licence at the time of the attack.

After the hearing, officer in the case Detective Constable Sophie Giles, said: “This random attack took place in the afternoon along the main road through Monmouth.

“It would have caused a great deal of alarm to not only the victim and those who knew him, but also many people just going about their daily business who had the misfortune to see this unfold.

"Luckily the victim was not more seriously injured by Taylor, who denied possessing a weapon and claimed he was acting in self-defence, rather than the reality, where he was the aggressor.

“But thanks to the many witnesses who came forward to support our investigation, this dangerous and violent man was brought to justice.”