A 38-YEAR-OLD man carried out two random attacks on total strangers.

Blackburn magistrates heard the first victim was working out at Audley Sports Centre when he was approached by Sajad Ahmed Sarwar.

And two weeks later, the second victim, a barber, in Accrington Road, who had just cut Sarwar’s hair, was punched for no reason.

Sarwar, of Victoria Grove, Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to assaulting Rayan Malik and Nasir Ali.

He was made subject to community supervision for 12 months, and ordered to pay £100 compensation to one of his victims, and £50 costs.

Compensation for the other victim was withdrawn because police had been unable to contact him.

Gareth Price, defending, said the offences were committed at a time when the defendant was suffering considerable mental health problems.