Norwich attempted murder victim feels lucky to be alive

The victim, who is in his 20s, suffered 32 stamps to the head, 13 punches to the face, three kicks to the head and also received repeated blows to his exposed genitals in the sickening attack by Michael Maylen, which lasted almost four minutes.

Maylen, 20, was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of eight years in prison on Friday (June 9) after he previously admitted attempted murder following the attack in a car park off St Andrews Street, Norwich on June 13, 2021.

The victim, who sustained a fractured skull, jaw and eye sockets and spent 12 weeks in hospital, said in a statement: "I feel extremely lucky to be alive".

He said: "I did not remember the assault then and I still do not remember it now.

"Fortunately, I do not have any serious permanent physical injuries as a result of the assault. 

"I received treatment in Addenbrooke’s Hospital for eight weeks then I was transferred to the NNUH for another four weeks before I was discharged."

He said he was still "psychologically affected" as a result of the attack and "all these months later I still feel paranoid about going out in public".

The victim said: "I'm scared of going out unless I’m drunk. I literally cannot go out in public until I’ve had a drink of alcohol and this is having a negative effect on my lifestyle and habits.

"I find that I’m nervous and jumpy around people, even friends. 

"If someone moves quickly or unexpectedly, I flinch back out of instinct expecting to be attacked."

"I also find I am suffering short term memory loss since the incident. I forget things that happened a few days previously." 

Jailing Maylen, Judge Katharine Moore described it as a "sustained and brutal attack".

She said: "Your victim put up no resistance - he was no physical threat to you. You knocked him out and still you continued stamping, kicking and punching him."

Judge Moore said Maylen had a "propensity for violence particularly when under the influence of drink and drugs" and used "threats and violence to get your own way".

The court heard the victim and Maylen were known to each other, although police have been unable to establish a motive for the attack.

After he was arrested at a garage on Dereham Road some seven hours later, police body-worn video captured him saying: "I battered the s*** out of one of the others who was getting on my nerves."

He added: "An argument went the wrong way...I've gone on a murdering spree. I don't care."

The court heard Maylen had walked into the car park off St Andrews Street, Norwich, where he was joined by the victim.

CCTV footage showed the pair sitting in a doorway together for a short time before Maylen became aggressive towards the other man, shouting and pointing at him.

Maylen then began his attack, grabbing the other man’s head, hitting it against a wall and then punching his head repeatedly until the victim fell to the floor where the brutal assault continued.

The victim made no attempt to fight back and lost consciousness during the early stages of the attack.

Maylen then searched the unconscious victim’s pockets and appeared to take something before dragging the victim’s motionless body around the car park and then walking off towards St Andrews Street.

Maylen, formerly of Music House Lane, Norwich, had been undergoing treatment for ADHD and autism spectrum disorder in a secure hospital since the attack.

Speaking after sentence, DC Chris Edwards said: “The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and having seen the brutal force used in this attack, it’s a miracle this man is still alive.

"I’ve been a detective for many years' but this is one of the most violent assaults I’ve ever seen.

"The level of violence used against a man who is incapable of defending himself is abhorrent."