A man has admitted stabbing a stranger in the back of the head with a broken bottle.

Tomita Mototolea attacked a man and a woman as they sat on a bench in Newland Street, Witham, leaving them with cuts to the head and body.

He admitted three charges, including wounding with intent, having an offensive weapon and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The attack happened in October after Mototolea approached the pair as they sat on a bench, waiting for a friend.

The court heard the 40-year-old, of Wherstead Road, Ipswich, asked for a cigarette, only to be told they didn’t have any.

He then walked off, before returning to repeat the question and being told to go home by the man.

Mototolea drew a broken bottle neck from his pocket and stabbed the man, leaving him with a cut to the ear and back of the head.

When the woman intervened, she was also left with a cut to the forearm.

Judge David Turner said: “Mr Mototolea, I am adjourning sentencing for two weeks’ time.

“Your guilty pleas will be taken into consideration but you are unfortunately facing a very serious sentencing.”

At his first appearance at Colchester Magistrates Court, the court heard that Mototolea was supporting his mother and young children who lived in Romania.

The court also heard he has no previous convictions and made full admissions when interviewed by police.

He has been remanded in custody since December.

A pre-sentence report was also ordered to be prepared by the probation service in order to assist the crown court judge in sentencing, which is due to take place on Monday, February 24.