Police have thanked the restaurant staff and customers who helped restrain a thug who was attacking another man.

Joshua Crouch has been jailed for five years and six months for the brutal attack and two other offences.

He had entered Aspera restaurant, in London Road, Benfleet, holding a dumbbell and knife shortly before 2pm on Thursday 10 September, 2020.

Crouch was wearing military-style body armour and tried to hide his identity by wearing a motorbike helmet.

The 28-year-old, of Arlingford Road, Brixton, then attacked a man who was dining in the restaurant, causing a large cut to his head which required hospital treatment.

Crouch’s sickening attack was halted by restaurant staff and other diners who restrained him until police arrived at the scene.

Crouch was then arrested and questioned by officers.

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Following his arrest, he was also linked to two other offences - an assault on a woman in Hadleigh on March 14, 2020, and criminal damage on July 12, 2020.

He was later charged with two counts of possessing an offensive weapon and one count of GBH.

Crouch was also charged him with assault and criminal damage in connection with separate offences.

He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Monday to four years in prison for GBH and 12 months for both counts of possessing a weapon in a public place.

Judge Ian Graham also added six months in prison for the assault and there was no separate penalty for the criminal damage.

In total, he was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

A spokesman for Essex Police has praised the people who intervened when Crouch began his attack in the Aspera restaurant.

He said: “We would like to thank the staff from the restaurant, and members of the public, who helped to restrain Crouch until we arrived at the scene.

“It is as a result of their actions that three victims of crime have been given justice.”