An incestuous paedophile who subjected his three daughters to a campaign of sexual abuse and physical cruelty has had his “too short” jail term doubled by top judges.

The 70-year-old Bradford lorry driver, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his victims, was jailed for five and a half years at the city’s Crown Court last November, after being convicted of a string of sickening crimes.

But his sentence was yesterday dramatically increased to 11 years by judges sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, who said the original term was “unduly lenient”.

Lord Justice Hughes, sitting with Mr Justice Field and Mr Justice Beatson, told the court the offences were committed between 1967 and 1980.

The victims – who are now middle-aged – were under ten when the abuse started and all continue to suffer the consequences of what was done to them.

The court heard their father would hit them with a belt and lock them in the cellar – often when they were naked – at the then family home in Bradford.

He also cut their hair short to expose them to ridicule and repeatedly sexually abused all three of them over a number of years.

The man denied any wrongdoing, but was found guilty of 29 offences, including indecent assault and child cruelty.

Lord Justice Hughes said: “It is absolutely clear that the daughters have carried not only the scars of the abuse, but the continuing consequences of it, to this day.

“They have had disrupted personal lives. The family has very largely been destroyed by this man’s behaviour.”

Solicitor General, Edward Garnier QC, urged the Appeal Court to increase the man’s sentence – arguing it was “too short”, given the serious impact his crimes have had on his daughters.

The man’s barrister, Jeremy Lindsay, said there would be an element of “double jeopardy” if the jail term was extended.

But Lord Justice Hughes said five and a half years was “unduly lenient” and doubled it, saying the crown court judge had – through no fault of his own – made a “fundamental error” when passing sentence.

He added: “It would not be wholly accurate to say that, in the intervening years, he has lived down his actions from the time.

“He continues to deny everything that is said and the judge saw in him no trace of regret. Moreover, having seen him in the trial, the judge was in no doubt he had continued to dominate his family in the years since.”