A man who assaulted a traffic warden in Chippenham and damaged equipment over a parking ticket has been ordered to undergo anger management training.

Daniel Mallett, 24, was also given a community order for 18 months when he was sentenced by Chippenham magistrates on Monday.

Mallett, of London Road, Calne, pleaded guilty at a hearing on November 13 to the assault of Wiltshire Council employee Deborah Pearson in Bath Road car park the day before.

Prosecutor Michelle Hewitt said Mallett had bought a ticket, but he was given a fine because he parked his Vauxhall Corsa in the wrong place.

Although his mother was with him at the time, she was unable to calm him when he returned to see the ticket 20 minutes later.

He ran up to Ms Pearson, shouting abusive language at her and pushing her so that she lost her balance, although she did not fall.

He then got into his car, drove up to her and grabbed at the ticket machine round her neck, pulling until the strap broke.

He threw the machine to the ground around ten times before driving off with it and officers found it at his previous address in St Peter’s Close, Chippenham, with a hammer next to it.

Ms Pearson sought medical attention and was found to have a painful right shoulder, muscle swelling and a red mark from the strap being pulled.

For this incident Mallett faced charges of theft and causing criminal damage to property on top of the assault charge.

Magistrates also sentenced him for assaulting security officer Guy Collins at Sainsbury’s in Calne, on June 20, when he tried to talk to him in his office about a suspected theft of lager.

For this second assault Mallett entered a not guilty plea, but was found guilty at a trial on November 8.

For both of these offences Mallett was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed in July this year for 12 months.

Defence solicitor Philip Hall said his client was originally charged with theft, but when this came before the court prosecutors withdrew the charge.

He said: “Mr Mallett was genuinely baffled as to what was being discussed and he overdid the extent which he felt he was entitled to in order to defend himself.

“You might think you’re observing a theme here of the difficulty with people in uniform he has from time to time, but he is seeking psychiatric help.”

Magistrates imposed a community order for 18 months, which will include a supervision requirement; Mallett will have to take part in an aggression replacement training programme, and his conditional discharge will continue to run.

An application for Mallett to pay the cost of the ticket machine at £1,214.04 was turned down, but both Deborah Pearson and Guy Collins will be paid £100 in compensation each and Mallett was ordered to pay £200 court costs.