A GRANDAD who was trying to get home after a night out was taken to the ground, robbed and attacked by an ‘out of control’ criminal.

The man had been out at a pub in Blackburn town centre before he made his way to Darwen Street in order to arrange a taxi home.

But before he had the chance to get in the vehicle he was approached by ‘feral’ Saliou Diaw who had been out prowling the streets.

The pair engaged in conversation for a couple of minutes before Diaw dragged his victim around a corner, pulled him to the ground, straddled him and robbed him of his phone and wallet.

The man, a father and grandfather in his 50s, was then punched and kicked before Diaw made his way to a nearby petrol station to use his victim’s wallet to buy tobacco, alcohol and scratch cards.

During the attack the victim recalls Diaw, 32, saying that he would ‘stab the f***’ out of him, though he doesn’t remember ever seeing a weapon. In his victim personal statement the man also said as he was on the floor he saw a white car drive by and heard to words ‘t*** the white b******’ – though he couldn’t be sure those in the vehicle had any connection to the defendant.

Prosecutor Beth Pilling played CCTV footage with clips showing the victim struggling under the weight of Diaw.

The career criminal has 36 convictions for 63 offences including battery, assaults on emergency workers, being drunk and disorderly and public disorder.

The court heard how Diaw, originally from Senegal, had moved to the UK when he was around 11, with his mother dying shortly after.

As he grew up he finished school, college and an apprenticeship before he started to lose control of himself, eventually being fired from his job and asked to leave home by his father.

At this point he ended up in a hostel where he started to take drugs, including spice and crack – something which led to him taking up a criminal lifestyle.

At the time this offence took place Diaw had been living under a bridge in Blackburn and would often spend his nights walking the streets until morning time. He was also the subject of a suspended sentence.

His defence barrister told Preston Crown Court that his client had told him if he could turn back time, he would.

Before jailing him, Judge Guy Mathieson addressed the defendant, saying: “You have had struggles in your life but to resort to crime and violence in the way you did is wholly unacceptable.

“I rather take the view that you are at the moment out of control and feral in the sense that you are no better than a wild animal.

“You have no regard for people, property or what is right and what is wrong.”

Jailing him for four years, the judge added: “I don’t know how you will deal with this but I suspect no matter what sentence I impose the court will be seeing you again very shortly after your release.”

Speaking after the hearing, DC Vicky Heys, of East CID, said: “This was an appalling and completely unprovoked attack on a man who was simply trying to enjoy a night out with friends. Diaw’s actions have had a profound impact on the victim and I would like to praise him for the bravery he has shown throughout this case.

“Diaw is a man motivated by greed and he brazenly thought he could commit this crime and then get away with using the victim’s bank card at multiple locations just hours after the attack.

“Thanks to the quick actions and diligence of the officers who worked on this case, Diaw was identified and arrested less than 12 hours after the robbery took place. Due to the overwhelming amount of evidence gathered against him Diaw had little choice but to plead guilty to what he had done."