THE father of a girl sexually abused by children's magician David Payne has slammed the rapist's 12 year jail sentence, saying it is not enough.

Choking back tears, the dad said Payne could be free after just six years if he behaves well in prison.

"It is a disgrace," he said. "The judge let the girls down badly. They should be protected from the likes of him. Some of them could be just 12 years old when he gets out."

Swindon Crown Court had earlier been told that father-of-two Payne, 56, of The Street, Burton, near Malmesbury, raped one girl when she was eight and abused five others who were as young as four after using his charms as an entertainer to befriend the children and their families.

A trusted member of the community who helped out at a local primary school, Payne preyed on many of his victims while baby-sitting. He attacked one girl while giving her a lift home from a kiddies' party.

During a three day trial for rape and two counts of indecent assault, Payne claimed one of the girls, who was seven when he started abusing her, was 'precocious sexually' and an 'attractive young lady'.

Giving evidence by videolink the child told how the systematic abuse continued with him telling her it was their secret until she realised it was wrong after he raped her.

She told the jury: "I started saying no, I didn't like it, it was horrible. He was telling me to keep all this a secret but I told my mummy because I trust her."

Payne, who is an engineer by trade, stayed at the family home and acted as a househusband while his wife Sheena went out to work as a midwife.

After a jury took just two hours to find Payne guilty of all the charges, they learned that he had also admitted to a further 15 counts of indecent assault and indecency with a total of six youngsters.

Peter Fortune, defending, told the court that Payne was full of remorse.

He said Payne was a caring man who had twice saved people from drowning. "He was outwardly a respectable man with a hideous kink in his character," said Mr Fortune.

Judge John McNaught said he had received a letter from Payne expressing his shame and remorse. Passing sentence on Tuesday, the judge said Payne's personality drew children to him and made parents trust him.

"You used these personality skills to target young girls," he said.

"You have showed yourself to be a danger to young girls and the sentence must reflect that."

He jailed him for nine years for the rape with three years consecutive for the other offences making a total of 12 years.

Afterwards a father of one of the victims said: "I think it is a disgrace. Those girls should be grown up and married before he is allowed out."

He said Payne was an intelligent man who would be a model prisoner to ensure he was allowed out of jail early.

"My daughter is still traumatised, she sees his picture in the paper and she just stabs it. She has become very quiet since he did this to her."

The father also said that it felt as though the children were on trial during the three day hearing.

He said: "When they gave evidence, the questions from the defence they found particularly horrific. Some of the questions they were asked shouldn't be allowed. My daughter came out crying."

Detective Sergeant Steve Hedley, who lead the Payne inquiry, said: "I think the sentence reflects the severity of offences he has committed."