A £60,000-a-year Canterbury crane driver was angry when another motorist cut him up in the city centre.

Ex-soldier Kevin Budd, 38, became incensed by the insult, which happened while some of his six children were in his car.

So when he saw driver Michael Bowden parked in Ethelbert Road – he dragged him out of the car and smashed his fist into his face... in front of his astonished children.

A judge, who as shown a photograph of Mr Bowden’s injuries, commented: “That’s pretty nasty. The injury to his face is appalling.”

Judge James O’Mahony added: “This was classic road rage and it was done in front of your children.

"It is also not the first time that you have been involved in unpleasant, nasty and wholly unacceptable violence!”

Budd, of Albert Road, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and was given a nine month jail sentence suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay his victim £300 in compensation to be paid within three months.

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told Canterbury Crown Court heard how the two motorists had clashed in the city following a road traffic incident in March this year.

The victim then carried on his journey until he parked in Ethelbert Road – only to be confronted by the furious Budd.

Mr Harvey said that as Mr Bowden sat in his car Budd arrived “to remonstrate with him”.

“This was classic road rage and it was done in front of your children. It is also not the first time that you have been involved in unpleasant, nasty and wholly unacceptable violence!” - Judge James O'Mahony

The prosecutor added: “He said he was upset because he had children in the car. Initially he just wanted to verbally confront Mr Bowden.”

Budd claimed that his victim refused to get out of his car so he opened the door claiming Mr Bowden then kicked out at him.

“It was then that the defendant leaned into the car and punched Mr Bowden several times to the face. He then pulled him out of his vehicle causing him to fall to the ground.

“The victim suffered very extensive bruising to the face.”

Mr Ian Bond, defending, said Budd was trying to get to Wincheap and the traffic was heavy and decided to go through Nunnery Fields rather than sit on Rheims Way.

“But that was blocked as well so he continued up the Old Dover Road and it was only when he turned into Ethelbert Road he realised the other driver was stopped there – and decided to remonstrate with him.”

He added that when Mr Bowden kicked out “the red mist came down” and he punched his victim in the face and pulled him out of the car.

The judge retorted: “To use the vernacular... he punched his lights out!”

Mr Bond said Budd’s previous conviction for assault on his partner “came at the time of a separation following a long relationship".