Man jailed for dropping toddler from Bolton bridge

A man's been jailed for 14 years for dropping a three-year-old girl from a bridge in to a river in Bolton.

41-year-old Damien Smith was found guilty of assault in connection with the incident last September.

The court heard how, when questioned, Smith said the toddler had been taken over by aliens.

She was taken to hospital and treated for back and arm injuries but has since recovered.

Detective Sergeant Joanne Little from GMP’s Bolton borough said:

“This was a heart breaking incident and I’m so thankful that the little girl was able to recover from her injuries. The worst case scenario does not bear thinking about.

“I would like to commend actions of the officers involved in the incident. Sometimes we can’t stop individuals from carrying out their threats, on this occasion the officers were left badly affected by what they witnessed, but they did the best they could for the little girl and she was taken to safety before any further harm could come to her.

“My heart breaks when I think of the trauma the little girl went through that evening.

“He will now spend the next 14 years in prison and the rest of his life considering his actions.