A homeless man who “rammed” another man’s head into a brick wall during a mugging in Ipswich has been jailed for 44 months.

John Baxter had withdrawn £40 cash and was walking along Croft Street on October 1 with a friend when he was grabbed from behind by 32-year-old Shane Mabberley, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Mabberley pulled Mr Baxter to the ground and started going through his pockets, said Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting.

Mr Baxter took the money out of his pocket and threw it on the ground and during the incident Mabberley rammed Mr Baxter’s head into a brick wall causing a cut to his forehead.

Mabberley, of no fixed address, admitted robbery, burglary and two offences of shoplifting.

The court heard that on September 20 Mabberley stole clothing worth £234 from TK Maxx in Ipswich and several hours later he snatched beer worth £12 from the Co-op store in Bramford Lane, Ipswich.

In the early hours of the next morning he broke into to a charity shop in Bramford Lane and stole cash from a charity box.

Paul Donegan for Mabberley said his client had been homeless and short of cash.