A MAN broke down in tears as a court heard how he hit a 15-year-old girl with a chair leg and a broom handle.

Bolton Crown Court heard yesterday that Syed Shaha hit the teenager so hard that the broom handle broke as it struck her.

The court also heard that Shaha, aged 49, of Nut Street, Halliwell, subjected the girl to “wilful assault, ill treatment and neglect in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering and ill health” over a period of more than two years.

Sue Carter, prosecuting, said: “He accepts that his behaviour fell far below that which would be expected.”

The assault took place on March 22, while the ill treatment took place bet-ween January 2007 and March 2009.

The girl cannot be named for legal reasons.

Lisa Judge, defending, said that the charges before Shaha were serious.

While advising the judge of his financial circumstances, she added: “This gentleman lives a very simple life. He has no funding from the government at all and he is quite frankly living from hand to mouth.”

Shaha, who is originally from Pakistan, pleaded guilty to child cruelty and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but denied a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempted assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and threats to kill.

He was bailed until Dec-ember 17, when he will be sentenced. Until that time he must live at Nut Street, must not attempt to contact his victim and must not apply for any travel documents that would allow him to leave the country.