An irate bin man punched four teeth from a colleague’s mouth in a vicious and unprovoked attack, a court heard.

Lee Wagstaff, 33, of Pollards, Maple Cross, was sacked by Three Rivers District Council after the attack on December 31 last year.

St Albans Crown Court heard on Monday how he threw away a 14-year career by assaulting his driver after a collection round.

Gavin Pottinger, prosecuting, explained how Wagstaff was taken off the round after a resident complained about his rowdy behaviour.

When the crew returned to the council’s Rickmansworth depot they found an angry Wagstaff waiting for them.

The father-of-two, who admitted ABH, reportedly pulled the driver from the cab and yelled: “I have been working here 14 years. What happens in the lorry stays in the lorry.”

He then punched his victim in the face and back of the head, leaving him with dental bill of thousands of pounds.

Wagstaff received a conditional discharge in 2003 for a public order offence involving a knife. In October 2008 he also received an alcohol treatment order for attempted theft from a vehicle.

Judge Coleman imposed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, ordered him to complete 150 hours community service, and awarded £500 compensation to the victim.

Recorder Coleman said: “I regard this as a disgraceful act. I have great sympathy for the victim that has to live with the consequences of what you did.

“I have considered very hard whether to send you to prison immediately for this nasty offence with lasting consequences.”