A DRUNKEN babysitter who slapped a toddler so hard he left finger marks on her cheek has been jailed for eight months.

Stefan Allen, of Cornish Gardens, Slades Farm, Bournemouth, struck out at the tot after drinking 15 cans of lager on October 12 last year.

He also left the youngster to visit the off-licence for more alcohol.

At Bournemouth Crown Court, the 22-year-old shook his head and appeared to smile after being told he would serve an immediate custodial sentence.

Prosecutor Sadie Rizzo said he had been taking care of the child - to whom he is not related - for a friend.

“He put the child to bed at around 7pm and then commenced drinking cans of Budweiser,” she said.

“In total, he drank 15 cans throughout the evening. The child would not settle and kept waking up and crying. This frustrated Mr Allen, who went to the bedroom on a number of occasions. She would not fall asleep and he was significantly frustrated by this and hit her across the face.”

She said the child stopped crying immediately, adding: “Mr Allen became upset and started crying himself.

“He held the baby until she fell asleep. When she did, he went into the kitchen, obtained a knife and cut his lower arms in several places.”

Ms Rizzo said the child suffered a “red mark” on her cheek and bruising around her eye as a result of the slap, and “two purple finger marks” were visible on her face.

After hearing that Allen felt “sadness and shame” for his actions, Judge Jonathan Fuller said the offence was aggravated by his drunkenness.

“You clearly struck out of frustration,” he said, adding that Allen had been unable to find work for eight months and has depression.

The defendant admitted a single charge of cruelty to a child at the first hearing before a judge.

He has previously appeared before the courts for offences including battery in May 2012 and being drunk and disorderly in August last year.