This is the horrifying moment a group of thugs armed with an axe, a slegdehammer and a gun attack bin men making their rounds in broad daylight.

The violent trio, Joe Cordon, 29, Jack Spackman, 25, and Kyle Worthington, 21, launched the assault on bin men after an earlier near-miss with a bin lorry.  

Shocking footage shows Cordon, who was formerly a bin man, leap from his Vauxhall Corsa in Stoke-on-Trent, before directing his rage at the vehicle.

Amid the savage incident on March 21, 2023, Cordon bizarrely begins smashing up the lorry – with a lollipop stick. 

Half an hour later, the yob, alongaide his pals Spackman and Worthington, targeted a second bin lorry in the Birches Head area of the city. 

Cordon was carrying an axe, while Spackman wielded a large sledgehammer and Worthington was armed with gun. 

Cordon proceeded to smash the driver’s window with the axe and struck all three terrified bin men.

Spackman hit the lorry with the sledgehammer smashing the windows before Worthington shot at the bin lorry.

One of the bin men was taken to hospital with facial, head and leg injuries. Another also had a head injury, while a third wounds on his head and leg. 

A fourth, who was also injured in the brutal assault, was taken to hospital with head, facial and foot injuries. 

All three of the thugs have since been handed prison sentences totalling to more than 18-years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. 

Cordon was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment, pleading guilty to wounding with intent, two counts of assault occasion them actual bodily harm as well as two counts of criminal damage.

He also confessed to driving a motor vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence and using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

Worthington was jailed for six years after admitting conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Spackman was caged for five years and six months after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, possess an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage.

A teenage boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage.

He was given a youth rehabilitation order for three years which included 240 hours unpaid work, a curfew and electronic monitoring.

Following the trial Detective Inspector Andy Bryan, of Staffordshire Police said: ‘This was two unprovoked attacks on refuse collectors who were simply doing their jobs.

‘Both incidents happened in the daytime while local residents were present in the streets.

‘It is more luck than judgement that the injuries sustained by the refuse collectors.

‘I am pleased all four defendants admitted their involvement in the attack.’

Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Jane Ashworth said: ‘These were shocking and completely unprovoked attacks on hard-working crews. We are thankful justice has been served.

‘We hope today’s sentencing will bring some comfort to the victims and their families and send a clear message: we will not tolerate violence or abuse against our staff in any circumstances.’