September 201 Malvern man ‘tried to smother boy’ in terrifying attack A 47-year-old man has been given a suspended jail sentence for child cruelty towards a boy. Alexander James Johnson showed no emotion as the judge sentenced him at Worcester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday). Prosecuting, Philip Beardwell told the court that 47-year-old Johnson was arrested at a house in Malvern on the afternoon of May 2. The arrest was made after the boy told police there had been attempts to smother him with a pillow in two bedrooms, and on the sofa. Mr Beardwell said the incident came to an end when the youngster fought off Johnson, and barricaded himself inside a room. When Johnson was arrested, a lock knife and suicide note were found on him. Mr Beardwell explained that Johnson originally denied a charge of attempted murder of the boy. When police felt there was insufficient evidence for a successful prosecution of attempted murder, a new charge of child cruelty was brought, to which Johnson pleaded guilty at a later hearing. Judge Nicolas Cartwright, in sentencing Johnson, praised the boy for being courageous in managing to fight off his attacker – but stressed that the child would have been terrified. The judge said he took into account that Johnson had a loss of self control due to his depression, and that there was ultimately no physical harm to the boy. Judge Cartwright gave Johnson a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for a year. He was also given a community order with 40 days of rehabilitation activities. Johnson, of West Malvern Road, was also given a restraining order for five years, and ordered to pay £140 costs.