THE mother of a boy allegedly mistreated by a man accused of breaking wind in his face told a jury: "I'm disgusted what has happened."

THE mother of a boy allegedly mistreated by a man accused of breaking wind in his face told a jury: "I'm disgusted what has happened."

Gary McKenzie, 22, of Beaumont Hill, Darlington, is on trial at Teesside Crown Court where he denies four separate cruelty charges.

It is also claimed he punched the lad in the arm and 'sucked' his eyeball, and held a pillow over the face of another child.

The prosecution describe the incidents as "cruel and bullying" but McKenzie insisted in police interview that it was "playing".

A jury heard the roofer admitted he had once broken wind in front of the boy's face accidentally which, he said, had been funny.

McKenzie denied doing any of the acts, describing the actions as "disgusting and disgraceful" and something he would not do.

The boy's mother said she felt disappointed and told the jury: "At the time, I put it down to horseplay."

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams asked her: "What's your view of it now?" She replied: "I'm disgusted what has happened, the outcome."

The youngster's grandfather told the court on Wednesday that he and his wife became "alarmed" when he saw the bruise on his face.

"He told us Gary had held him down and sucked his eye," the witness said. "He said he hadn't liked it.

"It was an actual love-bite on his eye, and that's when alarm bells went off in our heads. My wife took a photograph of it.

"The following week, the main things that were concerning to us was a conversation when he said had showed his willy in front of me, and said 'do you wish you had one like that lad?'

"He said Gary exposed his bare bottom to him, too, and at that point, we said enough is enough, and we called the police.

"We thought we better not take this any further with the little boy, and contacted the police.

"He giggled about the willy incident, but I told him it wasn't funny and it was inappropriate."

The trial continues.