A man has been jailed for five years after filming himself sexually abusing a child.

Joseph Rogerson, 25, who lived in Bradford but is now in HMP Durham, was labelled “a monster” by the child’s heartbroken mother.

He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the child and to two separate offences of possession of indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Richard Walters told Bradford Crown Court that the abuse was discovered when the police seized Rogerson’s phone because they suspected he had indecent images of children on it.

They then found the perverted film footage of him sexually assaulting the child.

He also admitted possession of 62 indecent images of children at category B and 26 category B movies; and 68 category C images and four movies.

Mr Walters said that Rogerson had stored the images in an album that also contained naked adult women, showing that they were for sexual gratification.

Rogerson at first denied the allegations, saying his phone had been hacked.

He went on to plead guilty when he appeared before the crown court.

The child’s mother said she was physically sick when she learned what had happened.

She labelled Rogerson a “monster” saying he had caused her worry, pain and heartache.

Abigail Langford said in mitigation that he had no previous convictions.

He was very remorseful for what he himself described as “his utterly disgusting crime.”

Rogerson recognised that he had ruined the lives of the child and their family.

He was remanded in custody at the magistrates’ court and had been in prison under the Covid lockdown regime since August.

Judge Ahmed Nadim sentenced Rogerson to five years’ imprisonment.

He said the abuse could lead to long-term psychological harm to the victim and undermine their trust and ability to form relationships.

Rogerson was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he must sign on the sex offender register, also indefinitely.