by Julia Roberts

A convicted rapist gave a false name when registering his daughter's birth because he did not want her to bear the stigma of being the child of a sex offender, a court heard.

Lee Checklin, who was jailed for six years in 2004 for raping a prostitute, gave his name as Checklin when he was in fact Lee Holland.

Maidstone Crown Court he went with the child's mother to Folkestone register office in June this year. He also told the registrar that he had not been known by any other name.

Checklin did, in fact, change his name from Holland by deed poll a short while later but failed to tell the police as he was required by law to do so.

Passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Carey said he accepted that the 31-year-old's principal motive was to spare his daughter "the ignominy" of having the name of a rapist on her birth certificate.

However, jailing Checklin for four months for offences of perjury and failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders' register, he added: "Even so, it was a serious lie and one which was capable of having a significant effect in causing the police to lose track of him.

"Not only did he tell the lie but he failed to notify the change of name to police as he was required to do so."

Checklin, of Spencer Court, Sandgate, Folkestone, was also jailed for 12 months consecutive - making a total of 16 months - after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm to Christopher Webb in May 2010.

The court heard Mr Webb was attacked as he lay in bed at the home of his girlfriend, Sarah Copper, in Tunbridge Wells. He was repeatedly punched and suffered a broken nose, black eye and bruising to his body.

Checklin and Miss Cooper had worked together at the Rose and Crown pub in Tunbridge Wells. Prosecutor Jumoke Hughes said Checklin wanted to be in a relationship with Miss Cooper and disliked the fact she was with Mr Webb.

He turned up drunk at Miss Cooper's flat in the early hours of the morning and attacked Mr Webb after spotting his trainers.

"He was out of control and seriously assaulted Mr Webb who was in a relatively defenceless position," said Judge Carey. However, he added that he accepted that there may have been an exchange of words between the two men before Mr Webb was attacked.

The court heard that Checklin was jailed for rape at Derby Crown Court after threatening a prostitute that he had a knife. However, Judge Carey said it was "consistent with his general attitude" that he continues to deny the offence.

He told Checklin: "You need to learn that you are not always right. You are anti-authoritarian and the sooner you learn there are reasons why there are laws and good ones and ones that should be complied with, the sooner you will find yourself not standing in the dock but carrying out your responsibilities as a father."