Child attacker sent to prison for 16 months

A man who attacked a toddler has been jailed for 16 months.
Preston Crown CourtPreston Crown Court
Preston Crown Court

Preston Crown Court heard the youngster had bruising to her face and below her eye, a cut to her hand, extensive bruising to her back, and the child’s manner was “quiet and sad”.

Tony Giles, 31, of Lytham Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to the little girl on the basis cuts to the child’s arm were accidental rather than deliberate, but accepted other injuries had been caused by him.

He also admitted ill treatment of a child.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Judge Pamela Badley said: “You clearly put you own emotional issues ahead of the need for a young child to be properly looked after and properly supervised. So although you say you didn’t set about all of this deliberately, that really isn’t very much comfort. The injuries, particularly on her face, were nasty. The poor child was utterly wretched once she was rescued from your home.”

The child cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Hanifa Patel, prosecuting, said the child’s mother had agreed for the tot to stay with Giles in Blackpool for a few days on April 5.

She said: “The defendant took the child from her mother’s address. He promised he wouldn’t drink when he was caring for her and she states she spoke to her daughter on the phone every day. She seemed fine on the Tuesday and Wednesday and he had put a picture of her online.”

But the court heard when she called the toddler the following day she seemed upset and was crying.

Giles told the concerned mother the girl was “tired”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But later that day a friend of Giles made a phone call to the worried mum saying he had spoken to Giles on the phone, and could hear the child screaming while on phone.

Miss Patel added: “Within 10 mins she received another call from the defendant’s own brother. His words were that she needed to go straight to his house because he was concerned for her welfare.

Giles cousin, who lived nearby stepped in, the court heard, and went to check on the toddler.”

Miss Patel said: “Eventually he answered the door. When he answered the child was stood naked next to the defendant and was gesturing to be picked up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There was bruising around her eye and a cut on her hand. The defendant disappeared into a bedroom and said ‘give me a minute’, then she could hear the sound of broken glass being cleared up.

“She asked for the child’s clothes. She could see broken glass on the floor, an empty bottle of vodka and beer cans on the bed. She grabbed the clothing and some nappies and her pram and left.”

Giles was later arrested and the youngster was taken to hospital, where medics said the injuries were non-accidental.

In a police interview he denied causing deliberate injuries, and said her bruising may have been caused when he slapped her hard when she appeared to be choking on a sweet.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court heard he had six previous offences for affray, robbery, and order breaches but had not offended since 2008.

Defending, Fraser Livesey said: “It’s an extremely unpleasant case. He fully recognises he is responsible for these injuries.”