An Isle of Wight man who left a traffic warden with life-changing facial injuries and covered in his own blood after attacking him outside a Newport school has been spared jail.

Joseph Burgess, 30, of Woodbine Close, Newport, previously pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm without intent and attended the Isle of Wight Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, October 3.

Tim Devlin, prosecuting, said the 30-year-old’s partner argued with the traffic warden outside Christ the King College on Wellington Road while she was dropping their children off at school on the morning of March 28.

Mr Devlin told the court she called Burgess, who arrived at the scene, got out of his car and approached the traffic warden – shouting abuse – before landing a single punch to the man’s face.

Body-worn camera footage from the traffic warden was played in court, showing Burgess repeatedly calling the council worker a ‘f*cking mug’ and capturing the moment he swung the punch, causing significant bleeding, with other parents and children witnessing the attack.

A victim statement, read out to the court by Mr Devlin, said the traffic warden felt vulnerable and powerless as his children watched the attack from their school window. The assault left him with life-changing facial injuries, including fractures, permanent nerve damage and a loss of feeling in his teeth.

Jim Osborne, defending, said despite his client’s four previous convictions for ten offences, Burgess had no prior history of violent offending.

Mr Osborne told the court Burgess feels remorseful, as his children had witnessed the assault, and he has since sought help through therapy sessions.

Mr Recorder Paul Richard Garlick described the attack as an ‘appalling act’ but believed Burgess recognises this and does ‘show genuine remorse’.

Burgess was handed a two-year suspended sentence to include 200 hours unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.