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A man whose partner is accused of murdering her two children in a Spanish hotel has been caged for 16 years for an horrendous catalogue of paedophile sex offences.
Fomer TV psychic Martin Smith, 45, used hypnosis and violence to groom and sexually abuse the young girl, known as "Miss A".
Smith had regular access to the girl and abused her for almost a decade from the age of seven.
The victim, now aged 22, told the jury how Smith would attempt to hypnotise, hit and bully her to ensure she complied with his demands between 1995 and 2005.
Smith and his partner Lianne Smith, 44, fled the UK in December 2007 after he had been accused of the child sex offences while they were living in Staffordshire.
Originally from North Shields, Martin Smith was extradited to the UK to stand trial on 7th May 2010.
Just over a week later, Lianne Smith's daughter, Rebecca, five, and her son Daniel, 11 months, were found dead in the Hotel Miramar at Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava on 18th May.
He was found guilty of 11 specimen counts of rape, attempted rape, indecency with a child and indecent assault after a week-long trial at Manchester Crown Court last December.
At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Mr Justice Stephen Irwin imposed a series of seven lifetime protection orders on Smith under the Sexual Offences Act, preventing him from being in contact with children under the age of 18.
Smith's lawyer, Kim Whittlestone, said: "Martin Smith was previously a man of good character before he met Lianne Smith.
"The events in Spain were out of his control and he has found them extremely distressing."
Dressed in a blue shirt with dark trousers Smith showed no emotion as he sat in the dock during the 55-minute hearing.
He spoke only to confirm that he understood the protection orders that were imposed on him.
Sentencing Smith, Judge Irwin told him: "You have been convicted of a sustained and serious course of sexual abuse, indecent assault, attempted rape and rape, reported over many years."
The judge told Smith he had been guilty of "the most grievous breach of trust" against he victim, who was not in court to see him sentenced.
The judge added: "You continue to deny what had happened which is consistent with your offending.
"You re-write the world to suit yourself and you present a high risk of harm to young girls whom you may meet.
"Your victim said her world was filled with dark and cold memories and she also had to go through the ordeal of re-living that in court. I hope she will be able to live a normal life from now.
"You didn't use contraception and she was lucky not to have become pregnant with your child."
His victim said after his conviction: "I'm delighted with this verdict.
"My motivation has always been to protect other children from Martin Smith. He abused me for more than a decade.
"Even after his arrest, he prolonged my agony by fleeing abroad."
Following the sentencing, a representative from the Crown Prosecution Service in Cumbria, who handled the case, praised Smith's victim for her courage in giving evidence against him.
District Crown Prosecutor, Linda Vance, said: "Martin Smith was convicted by a jury in December of very serious sexual assaults including rape, against a young girl over several years.
"What he did had a devastating effect on her.
"Today he begins a lengthy prison sentence for these terrible crimes and I hope the outcome of the case will help the victim move forward with her life.
"She has shown great courage in reporting what happened and giving evidence against him during the trial.
Ms Vance added: "Often victims who have been sexually abused as children are reluctant to come forward because they fear that they won't be believed.
"This case demonstrates that the CPS and the police do take all reports of sexual offences very seriously, that allegations will be fully investigated and even if the offences happened some time ago those guilty of such offences can be brought to justice.
"These cases are dealt with by specially trained police officers and prosecutors with expertise in dealing with sexual offences and, together with the courts, we will do all we can to provide as much support as possible to help victims throughout the case."
Speaking outside the court, Cumbria Constabulary's Detective Inspector Kim Fulton, who led the investigation, said: "Today, Martin Smith has been sentenced to a significant term of imprisonment.
"Smith inflicted a decade of abuse on a vulnerable young girl and although nothing can make up for the physical and mental suffering she endured, I hope she takes comfort from the fact that her abuser will spend the next 16 years behind bars.
"Smith thought that he could escape justice when he fled the country - but he was wrong. This case demonstrates how seriously the Police and Crown Prosecution Service treats complaints of sexual abuse.
"Detectives from Cumbria and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency worked together over the course of three years to trace him and bring him to justice.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the law enforcement agencies across Europe who assisted us in finding Smith and bring him back to the UK."
DNA tests are said to prove they Martin Smith was not the father of the children that Lianne Smith is charged with murdering in Spain.
She gave evidence on his behalf at his trial and remains in custody awaiting trial.
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