A former soldier from Shropshire who bit a three-year-old girl on the shoulder to teach her a lesson has been jailed for nine months. James Logan admitted three charges of cruelty.

Logan, 22, of Penybryn Avenue, Whittington, Oswestry, was looking after the child at his then home in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the toddler was examined by medical staff after she fell over in the bath and was taken to hospital.

Felicity Gerry, prosecuting, said: “She was taken to Lincoln County Hospital where she was examined. She was conscious and there was no evidence of drowning, but she was found to have numerous non-accidental bruises and an adult bite mark on her shoulder.”

The court heard a dental expert matched the bite on the girl’s shoulder to Logan. A number of recent finger-tip bruises were also found on the child’s body and face, said Miss Gerry.

Logan admitted biting the child as a form of “chastisement,” and causing some of the bruises by holding her too tightly after she misbehaved. The court heard Logan was caring for the girl for a few days because her mother was a drug addict.

He also admitted leaving the girl unsupervised in the bathroom for a short time.

Patricia Harding, for Logan, said the offences were caused by frustration rather than malice, and Logan only resorted to biting the girl after she bit another child in his care.

Miss Harding added: “He attempted to address her behaviour by demonstrating to her what it was like to be bitten. In this day and age that is not an appropriate method.”

Judge Michael Heath told Logan biting the child was “wholly misjudged”.