Andrew Marsh was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court

by Keith Hunt

A thug who broke a toddler's arm in a fit of temper has been jailed for 15 months.

Andrew Marsh at first claimed the 14-month-old boy fell onto the floor, but eventually admitted grabbing him by the arm and throwing him onto a bed.

Marsh, of Lodge Hill Lane, Chattenden, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the assault happened in Luton, Chatham, in March last year.

"i grabbed his arm and chucked him on to the bed, sort of thing. i heard a crack…” – andrew marsh

David Marsh, prosecuting, said an ambulance was called and the child - who cannot be identified - was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital.

He was found to have a twisted fracture to the left upper arm.

Marsh, 21, when interviewed by police said the boy, who was not related to him, had been "whingeing".

He added: "I grabbed his arm and chucked him on to the bed, sort of thing. I heard a crack.

"Obviously, I done it with a bit of force in two minutes of madness. I am getting help with this."

He explained further: "I lost my temper with him. I grabbed his left arm by the wrist. I threw him on to the bed behind me. While he was in the air I heard a loud crack. I knew it was something serious. I thought I was going to be sick."

Mr Marsh said the matter was reported to Social Services and the child was taken into foster care. There was a risk he would be given up for adoption.

"The arm was put in a cast," he added. "Because of his age, his arm healed very quickly."

Matthew Griffiths, defending, said Marsh, who worked in an old people's home doing maintenance work, was attending anger management classes.

"This is a very difficult case and very troubling in many respects," he said. "I ask that a suspended sentence be considered."

But Judge Charles Byers, pictured left, said: "I would be failing in my public duty if I did not mark this with a custodial sentence."

Marsh, he said, had demonstrated in the past he had a quick and violent temper.

"On the day in question, the little mite starts to cry," said the judge. "However much stress you were under, there was absolutely no need for you to treat him the way you did."