A man who left a 70-year-old Ipswich man with a “catastrophic” brain injury after a violent attack in his Ipswich flat has been jailed for two years.

Colin Davis was left lying in a pool of blood for around seven hours until he was found by a neighbour who called in to check on him at his home in Wilberforce Street, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Charles Myatt, prosecuting, said the neighbour found Mr Davis’s door had been forced open and saw that his eyes were swollen and bruised, there was dried blood on his face and hands and he was spitting blood.

Although he wasn’t making much sense, Mr Davis identified Colin Davey as his attacker and the neighbour dialled 999.

Mr Myatt said neighbours had heard Davey ringing the communal doorbell between 1am and 3am asking to be let in.

Mr Myatt said Mr Davis was knocked to the floor and left in a pool of blood.

He was taken to hospital where he was found to have a life-changing brain injury which had left him needing round the clock care.

Davey, 33, of Springfield Road, Bury St Edmunds, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Davis on January 22 last year.

Jailing Davey for two years, Recorder Gerard Pounder said the attack had “catastrophic” consequences for Mr Davis which had not been helped by the length of time he was left untreated on his floor.

“He has been left a shadow of his former self and his life has been utterly turned round. In fact his life has been so badly affected that he doesn’t have much of a life now,” the judge said.

He said a friend of Mr Davis had described him as “totally independent and vivacious” before the attack.

Joanne Eley, for Davey, said he had drunk eight cans of beer and taken 14 Valium tablets prior to the attack.

She added: “He accepts if he had been sober and not under the influence it wouldn’t have happened.

“He intended to get help but because of his intoxicated state he failed to do so.”

She said Davey felt genuine remorse and was no longer dependent on alcohol and drugs.