A thug who threw a cup of hot coffee over a 76-year-old man for making him wait to pay for it is facing assault charges after punching him to the ground.

Shocking CCTV footage of the attack – in a Shell petrol station in Flagler County, in the US state of Florida – shows the grey-haired victim at the cashier desk, with the suspect, later identified as Sean Ruel, 39, standing in line behind him.

Ruel can be seen waiting to be served while the 76-year-old man is being seen to by the cashier at the checkout.

After a few seconds, the suspect can be seen apparently losing his temper at having to wait and he throws his cup of coffee towards the victim.

The suspect then leaves the petrol station, with his victim eventually following him outside to confront him over his actions.

The elderly man goes outside to remonstrate but he barely manages a word before the thug races up to him and falls him with a single punch to the jaw.

The suspect can be seen promptly walking up to the victim and punching him in the face, sending him flying and leaving him sprawled on the ground as the footage ends.

Just before the footage cuts, other people can be seen coming to the aid of the 76-year-old man, who has not been named, including a man with a white beard who appears to have witnessed the incident and who can be seen helping the victim.

A woman can also be seen exiting the petrol station moments before the footage ends.

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office later identified the attacker as Sean Ruel, 39, and he was arrested and accused of battery of a senior aged over 65.

Sheriff Rick Staly told local media: “Because this guy couldn’t control his anger, he battered a senior citizen and is lucky he did not seriously injure him.”

He added: “Our deputies did a great job to identify, locate and arrest Ruel for what he did to this senior in our community.

The incident took place on 22nd May, and Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, who released the footage on 27th May, later identified the attacker as Sean Ruel, 39, who was arrested and accused of battery of a senior aged over 65.

Sheriff Rick Staly told local media: “Because this guy couldn’t control his anger, he battered a senior citizen and is lucky he did not seriously injure him.”

He added: “Our deputies did a great job to identify, locate and arrest Ruel for what he did to this senior in our community.

“We won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour.”

The suspect was reportedly located and arrested the next day by the police.

The police said that the suspect had priors, including three instances of driving under the influence in California.