A MAN who bit, hit, and throttled a three-year-old child has escaped being sent to jail.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Christopher Burns, from Nuffield Close, Didcot, was ordered to carry out unpaid work, despite carrying out an “horrendous attack” on the boy.

Nigel Daly, prosecuting, said the child, who cannot be identified, was discovered with injuries on June 27 last year and told his mother: “The man did it”.

Mr Daly said: “He had marks around his neck and what appeared to be bite marks on his forearm and left shoulder.”

Burns, 21, who has a previous conviction for ABH in 2005, maintains he cannot remember anything of the attack but accepts he must have done it, barrister Jeannie Mackie said. “It may have been he drank too much and suffered some kind of alcohol blackout.”

Recorder Peter Wallis said: “This was an horrendous attack on a young child.

“You have shown remorse which appears to be absolutely genuine.”

Burns was given eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and told to do 240 hours’ unpaid work and pay £200 costs.