A MAN was yesterday locked up for jabbing his finger in the eyes of two children.

John Charlton’s behaviour was branded “disgraceful” by a judge who told him: “You could have blinded them.”

Charlton also slapped one of the children across the back so hard that his hand-print could be seen on the child’s skin three days after the attack, a court heard.

The 30-year-old, from Saltburn, east Cleveland, was jailed for 18 months after he admitted two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Graham Silvester, mitigating, told Teesside Crown Court that Charlton had been arguing with the children’s’ mother before last summer’s attacks, but was still unable to explain his behaviour.

Charlton sat in the dock with his head in his hands as details of his cruelty were outlined by Jolyon Perks, prosecuting.

Mr Perks said the girls’ mother reported Charlton for smashing her mobile phone and stealing money – then added he may have hurt the children.

When the toddler’s were examined by doctors, both had a bruise to one eye, and one of them had a palm-shaped bruise on its back.

Charlton initially denied harming the children, but admitted going into their bedroom when they were crying and seeing their injuries in August last year.

Mr Silvester said: “He is of previous good character and has had one day of madness. He would say, I’m sure, it beggars belief that he could behave in this way.”

Mr Justice Butterfield told Mr Silvester: “It may be that his initial denials came from the shock and shame of the disgraceful way he behaved.

“He can be thankful for the fact that he didn’t inflict grave injuries.

He could have blinded them.”

He told Charlton, of Johnston Avenue: “This matter, in my judgement, is far too serious to be dealt with by anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.

“All right-thinking members of the public would be appalled that you attacked two defenceless little children.”