A Suffolk man who left a man with devastating injuries to one of his hands after attacking him with a machete outside a convenience store has been jailed for seven years and four months.

Jailing 28-year-old Wesley Temple, Judge Rupert Overbury described the attack as “cowardly”.

He said Temple had raised the long bladed knife over his head and had sliced it into 33-year-old Sammie Muntford’s hand when he put his arms up to protect his head.

“You inflicted the most terrible injury to his hand slicing through his hand, severing tendons and arteries,” said the judge.

He described the injury as severe and life changing.

Temple, of Willow Park, Beck Row admitted wounding Mr Muntford with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm outside the Londis Village Store, in Holmsey Green on August 6.

Christabel McCooey, prosecuting, said the incident started when a woman came out of the Londis store and found her car was blocked in by Temple’s truck.

She asked Temple, who was with another man, to move the vehicle but they refused and shouted abuse at her.

The woman called her husband and he arrived at the shop with his neighbour, Mr Muntford and confronted Temple and his companion.

They denied shouting at the woman and when the husband said he was going to call the police the man with Temple punched him in the face.

The same man had then thrown a full can of drink towards the woman’s husband and was restrained in a headlock by Mr Muntford.

Temple had then gone to his truck and returned with a machete which he raised above his head before striking Mr Muntford.

Temple and his companion had then driven off.

In a victim impact statement Mr Muntford described the devastating impact the injury to his hand had had on his life and said he didn’t know if he would ever regain 100% use of it.

Eleanor Lucas for Temple said her client hadn’t punched Mr Muntford before inflicting the single blow with the knife.

She said he had been concerned for his friend who was being held in a headlock by Mr Muntford.

“It was a moment of madness committed on impulse,” said Miss Lucas.

She told the court that Temple had attacked Mr Muntford with a saw and not a machete.

She said that while he was in custody Temple was determined to address the issues which had brought him before the court.