A twisted brute who battered and terrorised two youngsters in a horrific catalogue of physical and emotional abuse has been caged.
Christopher Manson, 57, was unmasked as a vicious bully after the brave victims came spoke up.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard Manson attacked both survivors, who cannot be identified, at his Renfrewshire home, and he carried out historic acts of physical violence there, which lasted more than 18 months.
Procurator fiscal depute Kirsten Brierley told the court the children were first singled out by Manson back in the summer of 2007.
She said: “The complainers described the accused as being frequently angry. He would lose his temper on a regular basis.
“He would pull the complainers over to him, double up his leather belt, and strike them with force, on their upper legs and buttocks.
“This caused them severe pain, swelling, redness and bruising.”
The prosecutor added Manson also used his hands to hit the children.
She said: “When he lost his temper, he would smack them both with his hands.
“One complainer had returned home in July 2007, when the accused was noticed to be extremely angry.”
Ms Brierley told the court that Manson then followed one youngster to a room where he punched them on the face and struck the child’s right eye so much that it bled.
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Manson’s torment of the youngsters continued into 2008 when he attacked one of them for playing outside.
The prosecutor added: “He became angry with the complainer. He began screaming.”
The court was also told he slapped one child’s head with such force it caused them to fall to the floor.
He was also screaming that they couldn’t have friends over.
Manson later attacked a young child, aged younger than four, by “regularly striking them on the feet, legs, hands and arms,” on occasions between 2018 and July 2020.
These incidents were described by the youngster as being “painful”.
The court heard that assault prompted a social work probe, which led to the other victims coming forward.
Manson, of Williamsburgh Terrace, Paisley, appeared in the dock before Sheriff Colin Pettigrew on Thursday and pleaded guilty to assaulting a child aged around 12 and a child aged around 15 on dates ranging from July 2, 2007 to January 1, 2009.
Manson also pleaded guilty to assaulting a child a younger than four years old on dates ranging from January 1, 2018 to July 13, 2020.
Defence agent Tony Callahan said his client, who appeared as a first offender, realises “that this behaviour is wholly unacceptable and will have a long-lasting effect on the victims”.
He added: “It has been difficult for him to accept his own behaviour.
“But he accepts responsibility and culpability and has demonstrated a degree of remorse and regret in the face of his behaviour.”
Sheriff Pettigrew told Manson there was no other way of dealing with him, other than jail.
He handed him 255 days behind bars, and made him subject to a Non Harassment Order lasting ten years, which prevents him from contacting or approaching any of the victims.
