A LORRY driver who 'destroyed' a boy's childhood and adolescence through ill treatment and wilful neglect has been jailed for five years.

David Tunnell was convicted of child cruelty towards a youngster for more than a decade, starting when the lad was just four years old.

And when the 49-year-old from Eveleigh Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, is released from prison he will be banned from working with children for the rest of his days.

Tunnell had pleaded not guilty to three counts of child neglect relating to three different children between 1990 and 2004.

During a trial at Salisbury Crown Court in July he was found not guilty of two of the matters but convicted of the third and the case sent to Swindon for sentence.

David Maunder, prosecuting, said the neglect took numerous forms, including violence, and had a profound impact on the victim.

In a statement read by the step father of the child, now a grown man, he told how he turned to self harm and attempted suicide as a result of what he had been through.

He said that he had trouble trusting people but had found things easier since going to the police.

Gareth James, defending, said that his client only had one other conviction which was a minor assault during the break up of his marriage.

He said he had worked almost all his adult life as a heavy goods vehicle driver.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "You were found guilty of an offence of cruelty between about 1990 and 2004.

"The jury's verdict means that any ill treatment began when he was very young and it continued over many years, virtually until he was young adult and it took many different forms.

"Your treatment of him affected him physically and mentally and this was of course a prolonged course of wilful mistreatment towards him.

"I have read his carefully worded statement made in 2014 and more recently. He has been extraordinarily badly affected by what you did.

"A very telling phrase he uses was he felt you had some sort of hold over him and he felt he could not resist what you were doing to him.

"Thankfully to some extent by the jury's verdict he had been able to find a degree of stability in his life now, but effectively you destroyed his childhood and his adolescence.

"What you did constituted a gross abuse of your trust and responsibility you had towards him.

"From what I read you are still not able to accept full responsibility for what you did and you are still inclined to blame everyone else."

He also imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim again.

An NSPCC spokesman for South West England said: “Neglect can wreak havoc on a child’s development, emotional well-being, ability to form relationships, and mental health. Children, like the victim in this case, are more likely to suffer from depression and post-traumatic disorder, and even suicidal thoughts.

“It is right that Tunnell has been brought to justice for this crime, which has clearly had an enormous impact on his victim over many years.

“In June, the NSPCC revealed that the number of child cruelty and neglect cases recorded by Wiltshire Police soared by 56% in three years, from 23 offences in 2012/13 to 36 in 2014/15.”

Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free 24/7 on 0808 800 5000. Meanwhile, children can call ChildLine on 0800 1111.