A TWO-year-old boy was throttled in the night by his mother's boyfriend, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Doctors who later examined the boy also found scald marks on his neck and bruising all over his body.

The child's brother and sister heard screams and slaps during the night and their grandmother confronted Jamie Ford before calling in police, said William Rickarby, prosecuting.

A social worker had seen no injuries when she visited the baby's Worcester home earlier the same day.

Ford, aged 20, of Devon Road, Worcester, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and cruelty by neglect.

Sentencing him to 18 months detention, Recorder Alan Dooley called his actions "despicable".

Ford and the victim's mother had been living together at another city address at the time of the offences in 1998.

Both were in bed asleep when the older children reported the baby's condition to their grandmother when she called at the house just after 8am on October 2.

Mr Rickarby said the child's neck injuries were consistent with squeezing. A hospital examination found scalds on the boy's abdomen and neck and another mark on his chest consistent with either a cigarette burn or boiling water

The child also had bruises on his head, face, back and legs.

Ford told police the victim had fallen out of his cot and got bruised accidentally. He said the scalds were caused by the baby pulling a cup of tea on to himself.

The defendant had a record of 21 previous offences which included affray, burglary, criminal damage and possession of heroin.

The child was taken into care and is now with his natural father.