A man has been jailed for 12 years for “grave sexual offences” against a young girl and downloading child abuse images from the internet.

Leslie Walker was told by a judge he was deluding himself by continuing to deny he had molested his victim and said he needed to address his deep-seated perversions.

Walker, of Institute Road, Chatham, was convicted of causing a child to watch a sexual act, three charges of sexual assault and three of making an indecent photograph of a child.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Walker, 43, became friendly with a young girl.

But Judge Jeremy Carey said Walker allowed his perverted interest in children to “indulge itself to the fullest extent” and took advantage of the girl’s innocent and trusting nature.

A sentence starting point of 13 years’ imprisonment, he said, reflected society’s abhorrence of such abuse.

“There is very little that can be said on your behalf,” said Judge Carey. “You have not recognised your criminality.”