A VETERAN councillor has landed himself in hot water - after throwing a bowl of tepid water over a toddler.

The Crown Prosuction Service is to decide whether there are grounds to prosecute Chris Abbott, leader of the Liberal Democrat group of councillors on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

Cleveland Police confirmed they have formally interviewed Councillor Abbott after a two-year-old girl was drenched as he tipped a bowl of tepid water from a first floor window of his Redcar house.

Coun Abbott had meant to fling the water at three teenagers trespassing in his garden, but had second thoughts.

He says, instead, he tipped the water out directly into the garden below, unaware the child had crawled into his garden to retrieve a piece of windblown tinsel.

"I had no intention of hitting anyone. I didn't see the child at any time," he said yesterday.

"Had I known she was there, I wouldn't have tipped the water out. I was absolutely devastated.''

Coun Abbott says his life is being made hell by yobs on the estate where he lives, after he tried to curb their unruly behaviour.

He claims that for the past six months he and his wife Glynis, a fellow ward councillor, have been "victimised" by tenants, for simply trying to do their job.

The situation came to a head in August during a spate of arson attacks on the estate, to which the Abbotts themselves fell victim following a television appeal for action from the council and police.

The couple have had a brick thrown through a window, and been threatened by louts wearing balaclava masks and waving baseball bats.

"It's been a nightmare. We are getting the backlash," said Coun Abbott. "For the past six months we have had foul-mouthed abuse and comments over everything we do.