A mother's wish to protect other children from her daughter's abuser has been granted.

David Brunt, 53, from Hartlepool, has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and given a lifetime ban on unsupervised contact with children. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Brunt was found guilty of two charges of sexual assault on a girl under 13 and three offenses of making indecent images of children. The victim's mother, who cannot be named to protect her child, shared a powerful victim impact statement in court.

"My whole world came crashing down. I found out what you had done to my daughter and her life will never be the same again. You have stolen her childhood and for that, I will never forgive you. You should never be allowed to live within human society," she stated.

The mother described the ongoing impact on her daughter, who suffers nightmares and bedwetting years after the abuse. "I have to get up during the night when she has nightmares and cannot sleep and I have to change the bed when It is wet. You should be locked away for the rest of your life where you cannot hurt young children. I hope you go to prison for a very long time and you deserve everything that comes to you," she added.

Police found indecent images of children on Brunt's mobile phone during their investigation. While he initially denied the charges, he ultimately pleaded guilty.

Judge Howard Crowson emphasized the importance of protecting the public, imposing an indefinite sexual harm prevention order on Brunt.