A MAN who attacked a child in a skate park was slammed for his ‘abhorrent’ behaviour at Halton Magistrates Court on Monday.

The chairman of the bench Alan Brothers told Andrew Bridge, of Winchester Avenue, Great Sankey, that he would have been sent to prison if it had not been for his clean record.

He said: “This is a matter that concerns the bench. For someone like you who is not a small person in stature to do this to a young person is abhorrent.”

He added: “Because you do not have any previous convictions you are not going to custody today - otherwise you would have been.”

The court heard how Bridge, who had been suffering from depression, had assaulted the youngster at Ramp 1 Skatepark on Liverpool Road on March 16.

One witness saw the 34-year-old have a ‘vice-like grip’ around the youngster and was seen to punch him in the chest.

Bridge was handed a supervision order for 12 months and must complete 210 hours on unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and court costs at £85.