A man who shoved soiled underwear down a little boy's throat has dodged jail.
Stanley Haywood launched the 'humiliating' attack after the youngster told him he 'had an accident'.
The 42-year-old then repeatedly questioned his young victim, causing him to 'feel scared', Swindon Crown Court heard.
The boy, who had originally went to Haywood for help, remained quiet before trying to clean up the mess himself - at which point the defendant followed him, the Daily Star reports.
He found the child holding a pair of dirty underpants.
Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the court : "He grabbed them from him and then he was grabbed by the defendant by the back of his head,"
Mr Ballinger 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."
A short time later, the youngster's shocked mother found her son bleeding from the mouth and with excrement coating 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, of Cirencester, was arrested by Wiltshire Police a short time later.
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".
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 on Monday 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."
He added that Haywood 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 sentence 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.
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