A HOMELESS man who kicked and punched a woman to the ground, leaving battered and bruised has been jailed.

Wlodzimierz Martynow, 45, repeatedly attacked the woman in Southend and was sentenced in his absence at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard how the victim is scared to see Martynow and has symptoms of a detached retina, following the attack.

The two had both been homeless at the time, and had gone to a house in Southchurch Avenue, Southend after going to a soup kitchen in Clarence Road, on September 14 last year.

Geoffrey Porter, prosecuting, read out a victim impact statement to the court saying: “She was distressed about seeing the defendant and concerned she would be seen as a snitch.

“She was also concerned about his associates interfering with her. She has flashing in her left eye and says it’s very irritating.

“Doctors tell her it’s a symptom of having a detached retina but she’s been tested for this and there’s no evidence of this.

“She says it has made her evaluate her friends and she’s less likely to trust people as a result of the incident.”

Sentencing Martynow, Judge Ian Graham said: “The defendant assaulted the woman and became angry. She was left with a bruised face, two black eyes and an ongoing problem with her left eye that affects her vision.

“There is clearly greater harm here and this was a sustained attack. I pass a sentence of one year and six months.”