A 27-year-old man punched and spat at schoolchildren and women, leaving them with facial injuries, in a random unprovoked attack.

Raoul Papp began the crime spree along Monkfield Lane in Cambourne near Cambridge at just after 3pm on October 6.

A court heard how, during the first incident, Papp approached a 30-year-old woman and spat in her face.

When she challenged him, he spat again before punching her in the face leaving her with a bruised eye.

He then walked up to a 13-year-old boy, who was cycling home from school with friends, and held his arm out in front of him.

He punched the boy and left him with a bloody nose and two chipped teeth.

Papp continued his abuse by approaching a woman in her 40s and spitting in her face while saying "that's coronavirus for you".

While a fourth victim, aged 14, was also walking home from school, Papp attempted to spit at her but narrowly missed.

Papp was arrested at the scene and taken into custody at Parkside Police Station where he later threw a drink at an officer.

Papp, of Greenhaze Lane, Great Cambourne, admitted to common assault of an emergency worker, two counts of actual bodily harm and two counts of common assault.

He was sentenced to three years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (April 30).

DC Katie Housham said: "Papp launched vile attacks against innocent members of the public, including children, in broad daylight.

"This obscene and violent behaviour was completely unacceptable and I am pleased he will now serve time behind bars for his actions."