A man has been sentenced to five-and-a-half-years in jail for pouring a bucket of boiling water over the head of one of his colleagues in New Zealand in July 2015.

Kian-Wee Show, 28, who works at fresh produce company Turners and Growers in Whakatu, on New Zealand's South Island, was reportedly upset that his colleague, Bin Wu, had taken a half-eaten hotdog from his girlfriend's plate at lunch the previous day.

In the CCTV footage Mr Show is seen standing next to a table of seated colleagues, blowing the steam off a cup of coffee, reported stuff.co.nz.

Kian-Wee Show is seen walking towards the hot water dispenser (top left) with a bucket in his hand

He is then seen calmly walking over to the sink where he picks up a bucket and takes it to a hot water dispenser to fill it up.

Mr Show then walks across the cafeteria and empties the bucket of boiling water over Mr Wu's head while he is sitting eating his lunch.

As Mr Wu jumps up from the table with steam rising off his neck and back, Mr Show is seen shouting at him.

Another worker then grabs the bucket from Mr Show and hits him over the head with it, before Mr Show calmly returns to his table and resumes eating his lunch

Mr Wu runs from the cafeteria to the first aid room.

Mr Wu suffered third degree burns to his back, neck and head and it will take him years to recover from the injuries.

Mr Show is then seen carrying the bucket of boiling water from the wall dispenser across the cafeteria

Mr Show approaches Mr Wu, who has his back turned to him while he eats lunch at another table

On Tuesday Mr Show pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was sentenced in Napier District Court by Judge Geoff Rea.

Mr Wu, who said he barely knew Mr Show, said he was pleased with the sentence

'The day before there had been a sliced sausage in the cafeteria... I had taken the last slice,' he said.

'I didn't think anyone had taken that seriously. Not me, none of the other workers... I really don't know what's happening in this guy's mind.'

Mr Show then empties the entire bucket of boiling water over Mr Wu's head, neck and shoulders

As steam rises off Mr Wu, who is bright red in the face from the boiling water, Mr Show can be seen shouting at him

Mr Show's layer Leo Lafferty said Mr Show had behaved 'bizarrely' and 'violently', but had no previous convictions and had been a law-abiding citizen in Malaysia.

Mr Lafferty said Mr Show had been experiencing stress and his behaviour was 'entirely out of order'.

Crown lawyer Steve Manning said there was nothing spontaneous about the defendant's actions.

He described the nature of the attack as 'chilling' and said Mr Show had calmly and deliberately imposed extreme pain on his victim.

A work colleague then grabs the empty bucket off Mr Show and hits him over the head with it