July 22, 2019 11.39 am This story is over 56 months old

Lincolnshire man recorded himself abusing his own baby daughter

He cannot be identified
Lincoln Crown Court | Photo: Emily Norton

A Lincolnshire man who recorded himself sexually abusing his own baby daughter has been jailed for 13 years.

Police identified the man, aged in his mid-20s, from a distinctive tattoo after seizing his mobile phone.

The shocking three second footage was discovered after officers raided the man’s Lincolnshire home.

Lincoln Crown Court heard police executed the search warrant after receiving information that indecent images of children had been uploaded.

Mark Watson, prosecuting, said: “Analysis of the phone showed some drop-box messages and a short video of an adult male abusing a baby.

“The child was estimated to be three to four months old.

“The male had a distinctive tattoo.”

Following his arrest the man disclosed in a prison call to the baby’s mother that he had also been abusing his young step-daughter.

Police spoke to the young girl who revealed that she had been abused on a number of occasions.

She told police “it really hurt,” Mr Watson added.

“He told her not to say a thing, and that it was a secret.”

Medical examination confirmed that girl had been abused.

A moving victim impact statement from the mother of the two girls was read out in court.

She said: “I have no words to explain the devastating impact on me and my family.

“Our lives have been turned upside down.

“What he has done will never leave me.”

The man, who can not be named to protect the identity of his two victims, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the baby.

He also admitted two charges of rape and one charge of causing a child to engage in sexual activity relating to the older girl.

The offences occurred between November 2018 and February this year.

Karen Walton, defending, said the man’s main mitigation was his acceptance of what he had done.

Miss Walton added: “He admits he became intoxicated by the trigger of pornography sites and crossed the line in to experimentation on his own family.”

Passing sentence Recorder Paul Mann QC said: “This is a truly appalling case.”

The Recorder told the defendant: “When your daughter was only a few months old you abused her in a sexual way while she was having her nappy changed.

“No one would have known about that if you had not chosen to record it on your phone.”

The Recorder added: “Your daughter will have no awareness of what you did, but your step-daughter will.”

A restraining order was also made preventing the man having any contact with his former partner and their children.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must register as a sex offender for life.