A pedophile has been jailed for 13 years after sexually assaulting and recording the abuse of a young girl.

Lee Rider, from Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, had “torn lives apart” due to his frequent and persistent abuse in Cambridgeshire.

Rider abused his victim for five years, forcing her to perform sexual acts on him and sometimes filming her actions, telling the girl it would “help her mental health.”

The 48-year-old, of Oak Crescent, admitted 12 offenses including raping a child under 13, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and creating indecent images of children.

When questioned twice by police, Rider denied the allegations and claimed the victim was lying.

The abuse was reported after the victim confided in someone she trusted and police were called in January 2023.

Cambridgeshire Police said the girl told them Rider would buy her things, which worried her as it meant she would have to do “something for him” in return.

During sentencing at Peterborough Crown Court, he was also given an indefinite restraining order to prevent him from contacting the victim, as well as a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to monitor his behavior.

Detective Sergeant Mark Williamson said Rider betrayed his victim’s trust in “the worst way possible”, describing the abuse as “simply horrific”.

“Importantly, the victim said she feared she would not be believed because she had no evidence to support what happened to her,” he said.

“However, by coming forward and explaining what happened, she provided key evidence that allowed us to bring Rider to justice.”