AN injured child could have died because a man from Leigh delayed seeking treatment for nearly two hours, magistrates said.

They deemed the offence committed in the town on October 18 to be so serious the 22-year-old was given a suspended prison sentence.

Magistrates said: "The consequences of him failing to admit what had happened could have been fatal.

"He delayed treatment for nearly two hours, all of which could have been avoided if he had taken the sensible decision to tell the truth about what had happened.

"This was a serious misjudgement on his part."

The man admitted a charge of wilfully neglecting the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

The bench condemned the 'serious dereliction of his responsibilities towards the child' and imposed a 20-week jail term suspended for 12 months.

Magistrates added: "Thankfully the child has suffered no lasting effect and we accept the injury was not caused deliberately by the man."

On top of the suspended prison sentence the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, adhere to a supervision order for 12 months and pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.