A YORK man who walked up to a woman and punched her in the face in an unprovoked attack has been jailed for six months.

Jarvis worker Theresa Wheldon was left in shock and with a bruise on her face after the attack as she was walking to the staff car park after work.

Kelvin Richards, 25, who was living at the ArcLight Centre, in Leeman Road, at the time of the incident, was found guilty of actual bodily harm at York Magistrates Court. The court heard he had previous convictions of a similar nature.

He was sentenced to six months in prison and was ordered to serve a further five weeks for breaching a conditional discharge and failing to pay fines.

The court heard that Ms Wheldon had been walking through a tunnel in Leeman Road, on April 1 at about 4pm, with a colleague, Caroline Probart.

She told the court she had not seen Richards walking towards her. She said: "The first time I realised he was there was when his arm came to punch me.

"He hit me, it was hard."

The court heard how Richards had walked off after the attack before stopping to turn and stare at Ms Wheldon and Ms Probart.

The pair then got into Ms Wheldon's car and set off for home, but spotted Richards walking near to Lendal Bridge where they were able to get a good look at him. They later picked him out in an identity parade.

Magistrate Marilyn Jones said because the crime was so serious, and Richards had previous offences of a similar nature, a custodial sentence was the only option. He was resentenced for breach of a conditional discharge after damaging property on January 22.

At the time of the attack on Ms Wheldon, two other woman were also attacked in similar incidents.

Det Con Mark Jackson, of York Police, who was in charge of the investigation, said today police were not looking for anyone else in connection with the other two incidents.

Updated: 10:38 Thursday, July 24, 2003