Man punched child because he was 'having bad day'

John Robert Sanderson left the boy with abnormal bleeding in his head, cuts and several broken teeth

A man who was "having a bad day" following an argument with his partner left a 14-year-old boy unconscious after punching him in an unprovoked attack.

York Crown Court heard earlier that John Robert "Robbie" Sanderson, 28, assaulted the child so violently that witnesses thought he was dead.

Sanderson attacked the victim on Tadcaster Road in York on 17 June, the court was told. The teenager suffered abnormal bleeding to the head and broken teeth that required dental surgery.

Melissa Colley, from North Yorkshire Police, thanked members of the public who stopped at the scene to help the boy and said Sanderson "could not control his emotions".

Sanderson, of York, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.

He had never met the boy before the assault.

Ms Colley added: “This random attack was traumatic for the victim, who has shown great courage in the way he’s dealt with it.

“This was a serious assault by a grown man against a teenager, simply because Sanderson couldn’t control his emotions after he’d been arguing with his partner and was in a mood.

“I’m glad we were able to bring the case before a judge so justice could be served.”

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