A father-to-be who raped a six-year-old girl several years ago, telling her it was a game, has been jailed for four years.

Glenn Codd’s abuse of the victim was always liable to cause long-term emotional and psychological effects, said a judge.

The 27-year-old orthopaedic technician denied rape and indecent assault but was convicted by an 11-1 majority.

Despite the jury’s verdict, Codd, of Copperfield Road, Rochester, continues to maintain he is innocent.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he was a teenager when he raped the girl and forced her to perform another sex act.

She said in a police interview: “He was trying to make a game out of it. He kept saying waggle was the game. I can see him saying ‘Waggle - x marks the spot’.”

She told her mother what happened some years ago but said she did not want to involve the police.

“The fact is you took advantage of her immaturity and naivete. You preyed upon her sensibilities and used your position of power...” - Judge David Griffith-Jones QC

She also told a male friend that Codd had done things to her that “were not right”.

“I was too embarrassed to say what,” she continued. “I was scared.”

Asked why she finally went to the police in 2013, she said: “I just want something done about it.”

Codd was arrrested in November last year. He claimed all of the allegations were untrue and said nothing of that nature happened.

Deborah Champion, defending, said Codd had a young son and another child was expected.

“He has been of good character since,” she said. “He is an exemplary family man, hard working and productive.

“Having built a life for himself and his family he is inevitably going to lose much of what he has built up over the years.

“He will not be able to return to work in the medical sector. It is likely his home will be lost because he won’t have the income.”

Miss Champion added: “He has not accepted the conviction. He still doesn’t accept his guilt. The passage of time tends to block out things that have happened in the past.”

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told Codd: “The offences reveal you were somewhat precocious and because of your upbringing, which was somewhat harsh, you may have been more advanced about the ways of the world, in particular sexual matters, than your chronological age might have suggested.

“The fact is you took advantage of her immaturity and naivete. You preyed upon her sensibilities and used your position of power.”

Codd’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register.

After the sentencing, investigating officer DC Ally Smith said: "Codd took advantage of a young child's innocence in order to satisfy his own perverse sexual needs.

"This one incident has adversely affected the course of her entire life and she has had to adapt to deal with the trauma.

"I would like to pay tribute to the courage and fortitude she has shown in assisting us with this prosecution."