Man jailed after unprovoked attack on woman in Nottingham
Tristan Fretwell was chased down and arrested by patrolling police officers, who witnessed the incident in Milton Street, on 6 February.
Last updated 17th Feb 2026
A man has been jailed after he punched a woman in the street in a completely unprovoked attack.
Tristan Fretwell was chased down and arrested by patrolling police officers, who witnessed the late-night incident in Milton Street, Nottingham, on 6 February.
CCTV shows Fretwell, 29, approach the woman from behind and punching her hard in the mouth, causing her to fall backwards to the ground.
The victim, who is in her 20s, was walking with her partner and a friend, with magistrates hearing that none of them had any clue as to why she was assaulted.
Following his arrest, officers observed that Fretwell was very intoxicated. When he was interviewed the next day, he said he could not recall the incident and initially replied no comment to questions.
After viewing the CCTV footage, he said he felt disgusted with himself and asked officers to pass on an apology to the victim.
Fretwell, of Raleigh Street, Nottingham, was charged with assault by beating.
He pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday 9 February and was jailed for 14 weeks.
He was further ordered to pay the victim £250 in compensation.
Sergeant Juliana Gourlay, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was a truly appalling incident. Whilst I am pleased Fretwell has accepted responsibility for his actions, his apology holds little meaning for his victim who understandably has been left traumatised by this assault.
“She had been in Nottingham to see her favourite band. What should have been a fun and enjoyable evening was completely ruined by Fretwell.
“I hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on his actions and consider the negative impact alcohol has on his behaviour.
“Lastly, I would like to thank the patrolling officers who took immediate action after witnessing this incident. We want people to enjoy our city and will therefore continue to carry out regular patrols to provide both a reassuring presence on the streets and respond quickly to any incidents as they happen.”