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A DAD was repeatedly called stupid as a court heard how he caused his one-year-old son to lose four toes in a horrific accident.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Matthew Thompson was sitting on an off-road mini-motorbike with dad Peter when his sock got caught in the chain guard.

His shoeless foot was then dragged into the machine - severing four of his toes.

Prosecutor David Ward explained how Peter Thompson had bought Matthew the off-road bike for his first birthday.

At about 3.20pm on October 14 Thompson sat the one-year-old on the petrol tank of the machine while he was in the saddle.

The pair then began riding around their back garden before the horrific accident occurred.

When the 28-year-old dad realised what had happened, an ambulance was called and the youngster was taken to hospital. Surgeons were able to reattach one of the four toes.

After hearing the evidence the judge, Recorder Anton Lodge QC, said: “This was a single act of stupid folly, it was in no way directed to either intentionally or recklessly hurt the child.”

Defence barrister Andrew Turton replied: “No intention at all. He is completely remorseful for his stupidity in placing the one-year-old child on the motorbike.

“It was a moment of madness from Peter Thompson. He has a close relationship with his young son and the young child continues to thrive in his and his wife’s care.

“It is an incident that the child, to a degree, has been able to put behind him. He is walking and functioning as any normal child and is as well as can be expected in the circumstances.”

He added: “Mr Thompson obviously bears the burden of one day having to explain to him why his foot is in that condition.”

Thompson, of Craven Street, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to cruelty to a person under 16.

Recorder Lodge said: “The facts of this offence are very unusual because this offence is there to protect young children from being ill treated or neglected by parents or other adults - that’s not really the position in this case.

“What you did Thompson was an act of gross stupidity. You decided that to celebrate your one-year-old son’s first birthday you would buy an off-road motorbike. You were on the bike and he was sitting in front of you as he only could with your assistance being only one year old.

“The pain that he must have suffered would have been very great indeed - far greater than you have ever had.

“It is greatly to the credit and the skills of the surgeons that one of those toes was reconnected. I’m told the young boy is coping well with the loss of the other three toes.

“The fact he is doing that reflects credit on you and your wife. He is doing well under your care.”

The judge gave Thompson a 12- month community order with supervision and ordered him to complete 60 hours’ unpaid work.