A FORMER Sefton Businessman of the Year who carried out a string of sex attacks on a two-year-old girl has been jailed.

Ex-computer boss James Proctor repeatedly abused the child for more than four years – sometimes numerous times a week.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the assaults could have begun as early as her second birthday during 1991 and continued until she was seven.

His sex crimes only came to light when his victim, now 16, confessed to her mother.

The award-winning former company owner was described as “perverted” as he was sentenced to 4½ years’ imprisonment with an extended five-year licence yesterday. Judge David Harris, QC, said the white-haired 60-year-old had targeted the girl before she was old enough to know his obscene behaviour was not normal.

He said: “The behaviour started before she was old enough to realise how wrong it was.

“That course of sexual abuse was very grave indeed.

“It will be regarded with disgust and abhorrence by all right-thinking members of the public.”

Judge Harris also ordered Proctor, who has previous convictions for assault, to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and subjected him to a sexual offenders’ prevention order.

The father-of-two, who was supported from the public gallery by his wife, muttered and shook his head as he was jailed yesterday.

As he was led away, he shouted “rock on the appeal” to relatives of his victim.

Proctor has continued to deny the nine counts of indecent assault, but was convicted by a jury on March 18 after forcing his victim to give evidence.

She told the court: “Sometimes it would happen like every other day, sometimes I could go a whole week without him doing it.

“Another time he would do it one day, then the next day he would do it again.”

Judge Harris said Proctor had compounded his victim’s pain through his denials and his insistence she was telling “flagrant lies”.

He said: “Throughout this case, there has been the absence of any remorse or victim empathy, and you have displayed no suggestion or indication you have had any concern for her welfare.

“Your feelings were for yourself only.”