A MUM whose toddler was beaten to death by a man from Winsford has paid tribute to her 'happy little boy' who will 'always be in her heart'.

Jonathan Simpson, of no fixed address but from Winsford, was meant to be looking after his girlfriend’s 22-month-old son Jacob Marshall while she visited the hairdressers on July 12, 2019.

Instead, he subjected the youngster to a brutal attack.

The 25-year-old was found unanimously guilty of murder by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday, after three hours and 49 minutes of deliberations following a 12-day trial.

This morning, Thursday, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years.

An excerpt from a victim personal statement from Jacob's mum, Emma Leigh Anne Marshall, describes the heartbreaking moment her 'whole world fell apart' as she was told her son was in hospital.

"It was only when I arrived at the hospital I realised how serious Jacob’s condition was as he had been rushed into surgery," she said.

"I had all different emotions going through my head, I wanted to know what had happened to him, why my baby boy was now in surgery, as when I left him a short time before there was nothing wrong with him and I had no concerns for him at all.

"In that short space of time my life had been turned upside down and Jacob was now fighting for his life.

"Not knowing what was happening in surgery was unbearable - all I wanted was answers on how they were going to make him better.

"When Jacob came out of surgery and the doctors told me that there was nothing more they could do, I cannot describe the pain that I felt - my whole world fell apart in that instant."

Jacob died on July 13, 2019 after his life support machine was switched off.

Emma said: "I will never get to see Jacob grow up, I will never get to take him for his first day at school - I can only imagine what type of person he would have grown up to be.

"I will never see him getting married and have his own children.

"These are all things that people take for granted, but this has been taken away from me and Thomas - Jacob's brother - by Jonathon Simpson."

Emma paid tribute to her son and described him as a boisterous character who always made her laugh.

"He had his own cheeky little ways, he always had the biggest grin you have ever seen," she said.

"He loved watching Disney films, even if he couldn’t pick which one he wanted to watch.

"He was forever asking for juice and some sweets.

"Jacob loved his food, he would even eat Thomas’s if he didn’t finish his tea.

"He had the most amazing relationship with his brother, Thomas, and anyone he came into contact with because he was such a happy little boy."