A binman who was caught on CCTV kicking down a child's lovingly created snowman has refused to apologise to his parents, branding them 'snowflakes'.
In a rambling Facebook post, the binman - who was working for Herefordshire Council - defended his actions and even compared the incident to the coronavirus pandemic, for whatever reason.
He said: "Yes I kicked the snowman. No it doesn't have feelings.
"Yes the people who made it (kids) have young feelings. Let's look at the bigger problem in this world Covid-19 people have feelings about this.
"People are dropping dead by a virus. Think of it like this, that snowman wouldn't be there tomorrow, any feelings then?...no.
"I understand people made this snowman but it's gonna melt anyhow.
"I don't understand why this has came to this."
Three-year-old Joseph Taylor was left in floods of tears after watching the smirking refuse collector boot the noggin off his seven-foot-tall snow creation.
Taylor, along with his six-year-old sister and their friends, had built the snowman outside their homes on January 24, but two days later when the binmen arrived to take their trash, he watched on in horror as his work was undone in spectacular fashion.
His mum Sophie said: "Joseph always likes to watch the binmen out of the window and waves at them.
"On Tuesday he came running to me in tears sobbing 'the binman has broken my snowman' and he started doing a kicking motion.
"I didn't really understand what he meant but when we watched the CCTV back I was really shocked.
"What kind of person does that to a snowman? It was obviously made by children but he just started kicking it in the head.
"To do that in front of Joseph makes it just so heartless."
In the CCTV footage, the binman - wearing an orange boiler suit - can be seen taking a run-up before landing a kick right on the snowman's head.
Then, he emptied the green wheelie bins, before returning to rain down more punishment on the unsuspecting snowman.
When asked on Facebook whether he would call the people who complained snowflakes, he responded: "Yes I do totally, out of this world."
Joseph's dad Tom Fallon, an IT systems administrator, slammed the man's actions. He said: "It's just so thoughtless.
"After the snow over the weekend Joseph and the kids next door took it in turns, all socially distancing, to add to the snowman.
"It was huge by the end of the day and the kids loved it. When I watched this bully use it as some kind of kick bag I was horrified.
"I emailed the company he worked for who said they were launching disciplinary proceedings.
"I just hope he thinks harder about his actions. Joseph usually loves watching the binmen out the window but he's too upset to do that now."
A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council said: "We are aware of this incident and are disappointed that an individual representing the council would behave in such a manner.
"The employee was a member of agency staff working on behalf of one of the council's contractors, and he has been informed that he will not be used again.
"Information has also been circulated to all agency employees outlining the professional standards they are expected to uphold when representing a Herefordshire Council contractor."
Featured Image Credit: SNWS