A PORT paedophile who inflicted horrific sexual abuse on a 12-year-old girl has been hammered with the maximum prison sentence open to a sheriff — despite social workers wanting him kept in the community.

Edward Tily, 61, has been locked up for five years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely by lawman Andrew McIntyre, who branded his repeated crimes against the vulnerable victim as 'abhorrent'.

Twisted Tily carried out a catalogue of attacks on the child — some details of which are too grotesque and disturbing to publish — whilst her unwitting mother was nearly 400 miles away in England.

He preyed on the girl in 2005 after her mum — Tily's ex-partner — decided to move to Scotland and entrusted her daughter into his care while she stayed behind in Bristol to sort out her affairs.

Sheriff McIntyre told Tily: "I have to take account of the serious and abhorrent nature of the abuse of a child.

"It is clear that these were profoundly distressing crimes for the complainer.

"I do not agree at all that a community-based disposal is sufficient."

The victim, now 28, had told a jury how deviant Tily watched her shower before touching and abusing her private parts and instructing her to perform a sex act on him.

She trapped him years after the attacks after plucking up the courage to confront him and secretly record him on her mobile phone.

In the recording Tily can be clearly heard stating: "You were 13 when you moved up but we didn't do anything till you were 14."

The jury found him guilty in May of abusing the girl on various occasions from when she was aged 12 between August 1 and October 31 2005.

Tily, previously of Highholm Street, was immediately remanded in custody following the trial.

He is today facing up to the prospect of years behind bars in the wake of Sheriff McIntyre's maximum sentence.

The sheriff said: "The offences are very serious and there are a number of aggravating factors.

"The complainer was a child in your care, and both she and her mother were in a vulnerable situation.

"She entrusted her child to you.

"On repeated occasions you sexually abused her.

"The evidence in this case was, I am sure, harrowing for anyone following it."

Tily's victim told the trial: "I was terrified.

"I didn't want to be there but I had nowhere else to go because my mum hadn't moved up yet, and I knew no-one else."

Social workers recommended that Tily — a first offender — be placed on an electronic tag and supervision and ordered to carry out unpaid work.

They assessed him as being of low risk of reoffending after taking into account his lack of a criminal record and the fact he had not committed any crimes since abusing his victim.

His lawyer, Ellen Macdonald, told the sentencing hearing that her client continues to deny the offences.

Sheriff McIntyre said: "I am in absolutely no doubt whatsoever that only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

The sheriff said he had considered remitting Tily to the High Court for sentencing, before adding: "I have decided, on balance, that my powers are sufficient."

Tily will have his five-year sentence backdated to May 14, when he was first remanded in custody.