A SOUTHAMPTON man injured a three-year-old child and savagely beat up his mother’s partner.

Luke Tustain left his 42-year-old victim with fractures to his lower back, two ribs and a wrist, after the attack in July last year.

Southampton Crown Court heard that witnesses saw the man, who did not fight back, repeatedly try to get away after first being punched by the 23-year-old, and then kicked twice in the back and attacked as he lay on the floor.

The court heard the man had been blamed for the break-up of Tustain’s parents’ marriage, and his mother had stopped talking to him.

Tustain admitted injuring the man, as well as a separate charge of causing actual bodily harm to a child he pulled down the street by the arm, leaving the youngster with several bruises.

On both occasions members of the public tried to intervene, but Tustain, of King George Avenue, Regents Park, continued.

Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC was told Tustain, who has eight previous convictions for 11 offences, has now turned his life around.

He sentenced Tustain to six months behind bars consecutively for each offence, as well as 28 days concurrent for stealing a bag from his victim.

All terms were suspended for two years, and he ordered a two-year supervision order.