A MAN has admitted sinking seven cans of booze before assaulting a child.

Paul Heathfield, of London Road in Pembroke Dock, appeared at Swansea Crown Court having pleaded guilty to an offence of battery.

Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini said that Heathfield had assaulted the six-year-old child at an address in Carmarthenshire on September 15 last year.

“He had drank seven cans of alcohol,” Ms Carpanini said.

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The defendant was interviewed by the police on October 13, where he denied the offence against him.

He was initially charged with an offence of child cruelty, which he denied. The prosecution instead accepted his guilty plea to a charge of battery on July 9.

43-year-old Heathfield has 12 previous convictions for 16 offences.

Robin Rouch, in mitigation, said the defendant was remorseful for his actions.

“There’s no excuse for what he did,” he said.

“It’s something he bitterly regrets.”

Sentencing Heathfield, Judge Geraint Walters said: “It’s a great pity that you acted in this way. Anybody watching that would have been disturbed.

“I put this down to the fact that you had one too many of those cans that day.

“Even a momentary loss of control can have serious consequences.”

Heathfield was sentenced to a 12-month community order, as part of which he must complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.