A MAN who rammed soiled underwear down a young boy’s throat has walked free from court.

Stanley Haywood, 42, attacked the child moments after the youngster told him that he had 'had an accident'.

The defendant, of Cirencester, repeatedly asked the child about the mishap leaving him to “feel scared”.

The boy, who had sought help from Haywood, remained silent before heading upstairs to change his dirty clothes and clean himself up.

He went upstairs moments later and found the youngster holding a pair of poo-filled underpants.

“He grabbed them from him and then he was grabbed by the defendant by the back of his head”, prosecutor Keith Ballinger told Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

He added: "He pulled his hair and used his other hand to push the underpants into his mouth.

“Initially he closed his mouth, but the defendant used his hands to open his mouth and push them inside.”

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Stanley Haywood outside court. Picture: SWNS

A short time later, the youngster’s shocked mother found her son bleeding from the mouth and excrement coated his teeth.

She rushed him to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, where he was assessed.

Doctors found bruising to his cheek and the back of his throat, though no treatment was required.

Haywood was swiftly arrested by Wiltshire Police.

In an interview in custody, he told officers he did not remember most of the incident but he was “disgusted and horrified” at his behaviour.

He was “very stressed” at the time and disclosed that "his father used to do the same to him when he was young", Mr Ballinger added.

At the time of the offence, he was already serving a community order imposed by Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court for possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Appearing for sentence donning a black coat, black jeans and a pair of navy blue trainers, Haywood sobbed loudly in the dock throughout the hearing.

He attended court with a psychiatrist, who told the magistrates his service user has a “complex trauma history” and has never received any treatment for his obvious mental health issues.

Mark Glendenning, defending said: “He is devastated that he has acted in this way and is ashamed of his actions.”

Adding that he is a recovering drug addict who was “desperately struggling” at the time.

Labelling the vile attack as “very humiliating” for the victim, magistrates sentenced Haywood to a three-month prison sentence, but suspended it for 18 months.

As part of the suspended sentnece order, he must complete a 18-month mental health treatment requirement and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

His victim was awarded £100 in compensation. No costs were awarded.