A woman managed to fight off a man who grabbed her from behind and put a plastic bag over her head as she was walking alone at night in Norwich, a court heard.

The victim was walking in the Rosary Road area in Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, at about 10.30pm and had stopped to roll up a cigarette when Philip Sewell, 20, approached from behind and put the plastic bag over her head.

Norwich Crown Court heard that she fought to take the bag off and flagged down a passing motorist for help who then contacted the police about the matter. Sewell was later arrested in the area and admitted to police what he had done.

The court heard that Sewell of Rosary Road, Norwich, who has mental health difficulties, admitted affray on June 12 this year and was made subject to a hospital order so he can get the help he needs.

Sentencing him, Judge Alasdair Darroch told him that he had read psychiatriatric reports and said: 'This was clearly potentially a very dangerous situation. I am not here to punish you but I have to protect the public.'

Katharine Moore for Sewell, said: 'This is a young man without previous convictions. He does not have a history of causing anyone serious harm.'