A depraved and dangerous Bradford father has been sentenced to a 19-year extended prison term for the rape and “relentless” sexual abuse of his daughter.

The man, in his late 30s, was ordered to serve 14 years in jail and an extra five years on licence.

He cannot be identified by order of the judge to protect the vulnerable and deeply damaged teenage victim and other members of her family.

The defendant pleaded guilty to 18 offences, including one charge of orally raping the child when she was aged eight or nine.

The other counts, of sexual assault, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and common assault, by seizing her throat with both his hands, reflected a “constant, repeated and relentless” catalogue of abuse, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Bradford Crown Court yesterday..

The man had previous convictions for sexually assaulting women in 2005 and 2009.

The first offence involved him approaching a female walking alone from behind, covering her mouth and molesting her.

Two further offences saw him being jailed for sexually assaulting a woman in a cupboard.

“Because of your make-up, noting the previous convictions, you present a real, clear and present danger to anyone with you when uncontrollable urges overtake you, particularly anyone vulnerable, young and female,” the judge said.

Prosecutor Sophie Drake said the man raped his daughter when she was eight or nine and then abused her again, repeatedly, from the age of ten or 11 until he was arrested.

On two occasions, he grabbed her round the throat when she was crying, ordering her to smile.

Last year, the girl’s mother saw she was withdrawn and upset and the teenager said her father tried to strangle her.

She then revealed the sexual abuse, saying she had promised her dad not to tell.

The court heard the man was a heavy drinker who was cruel to animals and had little empathy with his victims.

He was controlling and frightening in the family home, with uncontrollable urges and feelings, the court heard.

In mitigation, his barrister, Stephen Wood, said his client was very sorry for what he had done.

The girl drew a picture for the court, showing how the abuse had deeply damaged her.

She said she suffered sleeplessness and nightmares.

“This shows the profound and telling effect your depraved and persistent conduct has had on that little girl,” Judge Durham Hall said.

He told the man: “There is no guarantee that any treatment will be effective for you.”

The judge made an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order and ordered the man to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.