Babysitter 'stubbed cigarette out on toddler'

Judge Carol Hagen told the 28-year-old a prison sentence was “inevitable”.

Davis, of Chesterfield Road, St Andrews, Bristol shook his head and wept when the majority verdict was returned.

He denied causing cruelty to a person aged under 16 on September 9, 2003.

The jury heard that the two-year-old’s mother had arranged for her child to stay with Davis while she went out for a drink.

When she fetched her youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, she noticed red marks around his neck and discovered 14 blisters on his torso the next morning.

Prosecuting, Robert Davies said the mother took the toddler to Bristol’s children’s hospital where he was examined by doctors.

Paediatricians found the marks could be consistent with burns caused by roll-up cigarettes.

In court, Davis admitted smoking roll-ups and said he had tobacco in the house on the night he looked after the toddler.

But he denied stubbing a cigarette out on the youngster, insisting the injuries did not happen while the child was in his care.

He said: “No I did not do it he did not have burn injuries when he left me at 12.30am. I didn’t burn the child.”

Davis was also looking after a six-year-old boy at the time but he was not injured.

The jury of seven men and five women took three hours to reach a guilty verdict by a majority of 10 to two.

Outside court, DC Dickon Turner said the case was “upsetting and horrible”.

He said: “The correct verdict has been given it is an upsetting and horrible case and justice has been done.

“There was never any doubt in my mind that Davis committed this crime.”

He added that the toddler still had visible scars from the incident.

Judge Hagen adjourned sentencing until August 3 for reports.

Davis was granted conditional bail until that date. The court heard he had two previous convictions for drink driving and driving without insurance.