Van driver Melvyn Lester (47) was convicted by a jury of committing a sex act on the child and taking a picture of the act.

He denied the offences and still maintains his innocence, despite the verdicts, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Lester will be on a sex offender register for life.

He was banned from ever working with children or living in a house with children and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order.

Lester, of Waltham Close, Welland, Peterborough, was said to have committed the offences in Leicestershire.

The court heard that in 2009 police seized the defendant’s phone due to an unrelated matter and discovered a deleted picture of the sex act on the young victim.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: “He’s shown no remorse. He did his best to wriggle out of guilt.

“Judges have a duty to protect children from sexual predators.”

The court heard that Lester has fathered 12 children by six women. None of them is the victim in the case.

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