A SCREAMING schoolgirl was pushed down into a bath of water with such force that it left a "ring of bruises" on her body, a court heard.

Now the brute who carried out the attack has been jailed for nine years.

Stephen Cooper's young victim thought she was going to drown when he put his hand over her mouth, turned her on her stomach and pushed her down.

The pressure used was so great that the victim suffered a chipped tooth and severe bruising, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Today Cooper was behind bars after admitting three separate assaults on the youngster in the space of a fortnight.

Peter Asteris, prosecuting, told how the 31-year-old had left a ring of bruises on the girl's back where she had been so violently pushed after she had been screaming.

He said: "There are a number of clear bruises, fingerprints in effect, where the young girl was pushed down in the bath."

Mr Asteris told Southampton Crown Court how the violent and vicious attacks, including being punched in the face and the tummy, had left the girl with substantial bruising.

A doctor who examined the young girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said that "significant force" would have been used to cause the injuries.

When initially confronted about the girl's injuries Mr Cooper, of Bitterne, who has 14 previous convictions for violence, robbery and threats to kill, said they were the result of falling off the toilet and hitting a bunk bed.

However, he eventually admitted he was responsible and pleaded guilty to three charges of actual bodily harm.

David Reid, mitigating, said the attacks on the child were not calculated or premeditated but spur of the moment acts due to a loss of temper. He added that Cooper held his victim down "forcefully" in the bath because he wanted to keep her there but said he never intended to drown her as her head was always placed to one side and there was not enough water to risk drowning.

"He (Cooper) has had little stability in his home and work life. There has been heavy drink and drug use in the past."

Sentencing Judge Christopher Leigh QC, who was given photographs of the child's injuries, said: "These are the sort of injuries that no child should have inflicted on it."

He described Cooper as a "violent and dangerous man" who had a high risk of reoffending and causing serious harm.

"It is clear to me that you are a dangerous man as far as children and young women are concerned. I am satisfied that there is serious harm of you committing further serious offences.

"In the circumstances of this case I do not believe that justice can be done and that the public can be adequately protected without making the extended sentence consecutive."

Cooper was given three five-year sentences to run consecutively which means he will spend nine years in prison and remain on licence for a further six years.

After the case DS Paula Myers, of Hampshire Police's Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: "It is a sentence that is commensurate with the vicious offences committed."