A BABYSITTER who murdered a toddler in a "spur of the moment" attack will serve at least ten years of a life sentence.

Suzanne Holdsworth, 34, killed two-year-old Kyle Fisher by repeatedly hitting his head against the stair banisters in her Hartlepool home.

The mother-of-two was looking after the toddler while his teenage mother Clare was on a night out last July.

Sentencing her to a mandatory life sentence at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, Mr Justice Grigson said only she knew why she had carried out the vicous assault.

He said: "You are a woman of previous good character. You brought up two children on your own and acted as a babysitter for other children prior to this tragic incident, and all that time you behaved in a wholly responsible way.

"Only you know what happened that night that caused you to assault this young child, a child who apparently loved you and of whom you were fond. He was vulnerable and he was in your care.

''I accept that the incident was momentary and your actions were wholly unpremeditated."

Throughout a trial at Teesside Crown Court last month Holdsworth, who has no previous convictions, had maintained her innocence and claimed the youngster had suffered a fit.

But a jury took just four and half hours to convict her of Kyle's murder after hearing the impact on the child's head was similar to being thrown from a car at 60mph.

Medical evidence proved the toddler had received his fatal injuries at her home in Millpool Close, Hartlepool, and they were consistent with his head being hit against banisters.

Holdsworth's barrister Jeremy Richardson QC said the normal starting point for a life sentence for murder was 15 years.

He said the supermarket worker, who is being held at Low Newton prison, near Durham, had a low risk of re-offending.

Mr Richardson said: ''She has no history of violence. This was a one-off tragedy."

No motive for the attack was given in court.

Holdsworth wept as she was led away and shouted to her family and partner, Lee, that she loved them.

After the hearing, her barrister said there were no plans to appeal.

Cleveland Police, which investigated the murder, said the toddler's death had left many victims.

A spokesman said: "Little Kyle is not going to grow up so his family have been deprived of seeing that. Holdsworth will not see her children grow up because she will be in prison for a long time.

"There are no winners in this case."

Kyle's mother, Clare, who lived opposite Holdsworth on Hartlepool's Central Estate, was not in court to hear the sentence.