A 40-year-old who failed to appear in court after he repeatedly attacked another man with a metal pole in 2010 has finally been jailed for the vicious assault.

Brazilian national, Wesler Dos Santos, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for assaulting a man in Harlesden at Harrow Crown Court on Friday (April 27).

The court heard how on the evening of Saturday March 20 2010, Dos Santos had been drinking at Bar Liha in Harlesden.

At around 12.30am on the Sunday, Dos Santos was with a woman who began to shout abuse at a 51-year-old man. Dos Santos then approached him and threatened to "smash up" the man.

Police said the man had feared for his safety and waited for Dos Santos and the woman to leave before walking home.

Dos Santos then approached him from behind in Springwell Avenue and struck him on the back of the head. The victim fell to floor where Dos Santos rained repeated blows to his head and body with a metal pole. Police said the attacker said he was going to kill the man.

However, a passing woman intervened and placed herself between Dos Santos and the victim at which point the attacker fled the scene.

The victim was taken to a south London hospital where his injuries required stitching at three different places on his head. He also suffered bruising all over his body.

Dos Santos, who at the time was living in Old Oak Lane, Willesden, was arrested over the attack later the same day - he was charged and bailed to appear at Harrow Crown Court on April 21 2010 but failed to attend.

Dos Santos was jailed nearly eight years after he failed to appear at court

Almost eight years later when he re-entered the UK at Luton Airport on Tuesday February 20 this year, Dos Santos was arrested for failing to appear at Harrow Crown Court.

He was remanded in custody and later pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and a charge related to failing to appear at the earlier court hearing.

Detective Constable Azmeen Pinnu said: "The sentence clearly demonstrates that arrest warrants do not diminish with the passage of time.

"If someone is wanted for an offence, they will remain wanted until they are apprehended and either placed before the court or eliminated from police enquiries.

"Dos Santos's attack on the victim was vicious and frenzied. Had a brave member of the public not stepped in, the outcome could have been far worse. I very much hope that this sentence brings the victim a measure of closure."