A JUDGE told a man that "violence is at the core of his personality" as he jailed him for stamping on a toddler.

Daniel Joyce, 29, was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

Joyce, of Bankfield Road, Longroyd Bridge, was accused of grievous bodily harm with intent for stamping on the stomach of the boy when he was just two years and five months old.

He was found unanimously guilty by a jury on Tuesday of the February 2010 attack at a Newsome home.

The boy, who cannot be identified, required surgery on his bowel and suffered other injuries to his legs, back and face.

The trial made legal history after the child, now four, became the youngest to ever give evidence in a criminal court.

At the sentencing, Judge Jonathan Rose slammed Joyce’s complete lack of remorse and said his actions were "vicious, cowardly and reprehensible".

In a lengthy speech, Judge Rose ripped into Joyce’s character and repeatedly accused him of cowardice and selfishness.

In contrast, he praised the Huddersfield tot for his character in coping with the traumatic assault and dealing with the ordeal of the trial.

Delivering his pre-sentence summing up to the court, he said: "He’s a remarkable little boy. Although too young to fully appreciate what he has done, he may one day come to understand how this court will appreciate his bravery, his honesty and his fortitude."

But to Joyce, Judge Rose said there were absolutely no mitigating factors available for him to reduce the sentence.

He also criticised Joyce’s attempts to blame the incident on the child’s mother and his claim that she had coached the youngster to give evidence against him.

He said: "You’re a man with a short but not insignificant history of violence against people of your own age and not against children, but that offers little comfort.

"You assaulted the boy in such a way to cause him life-threatening injuries, which will undoubtedly leave him psychological damaged which his subsequent behaviour demonstrates."

Pondering the motives for the attack, Judge Rose said: "Was it that he needed a nappy or he pestered you for a drink? We may never know.