A child rapist who targeted a defenceless four-year-old girl with the help of a woman has been jailed for life.

A Carlisle Crown Court judge described the evidence given by the traumatised child victim of 53-year-old David Stevenson as “harrowing”, recalling how the child had been forced to endure the ordeal of reliving her experiences for the trial.

Stevenson, of Compton Street, Carlisle, had denied three counts of sexually assaulting the girl and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The jury convicted him after hearing compelling evidence, including that of the victim.

The woman – who is from west Cumbria – denied aiding and abetting Stevenson to commit the offences but she was also convicted after a trial. She was jailed for 11 years.

In court, prosecutor Tim Evans outlined the offences, the details of which are too horrific to report in detail.

With the woman’s help, Stevenson carried out the assaults throughout 2014, telling the child the abuse was just a game.

The court heard suggestions that at times other men were involved in the abuse but there was insufficient evidence for more prosecutions.

Mr Evans described how, when asked about how often she was abused, the girl said: “Loads and loads.”

The court was then told about the defendant’s history as a sex offender.

In 2006, he was convicted of three offences of rape and one indecent assault against a young girl, aged under 16, who was vulnerable. At the time he was jailed for nine years for those offences and made the subject of a court order that prohibited him from ever again having unsupervised contact with any child.

Gerard Doran, for Stevenson, suggested that serious though the latest abuse was it was not serious enough to warrant a life sentence.

Mark Shepherd, for the woman, who can not be named for legal reasons, said the turning point in her life had been when she suffered a close personal bereavement. But she did not accept that she had done wrong, said Mr Shepherd.

“She was extremely emotional during her interview,” he said.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Davies pointed out that the three charges Stevenson was convicted of were specimen counts. The judge noted that in the mid-1990s, the defendant had groomed a 13-year-old girl before repeatedly having sex with her.

Judge Davies described Stevenson’s latest offences as “sordid, perverse, and corrupt”.

He said: “When she described what happened to her, the jury were visibly moved.

“There is no way that a four-year-old girl could manufacture that evidence, as you have claimed in your pre-sentence report... I am satisfied that you, Mr Stevenson, found a young girl who was defenceless.”

As a result of the abuse, the victim – described by the judge as “charming and sweet” – had exhibited sexualised behaviour but those now caring for her were working hard to undo the damage.

Judge Davies imposed a life sentence, stipulating that Stevenson must serve at least eight years before he can be considered for release. Both Stevenson and the woman will have their names on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

Judge Davies also commended the work of detective constables Mark Singleton and Lindsey Priestley, who were both in court.

DC Priestley praised the victim, saying she had showed great courage.

She added: “The risk to this child was identified by Children’s Services who deserve recognition for this. What the victim has gone through is one of the most harrowing cases I and my fellow investigator, DC Mark Singleton, have ever come across.

“Stevenson is a cruel predator who abused the victim and told them it was part of a game.”

She urged anyone who is an abuse victim to get in touch. “You will be listened to,” she added.

Victims can contact Cumbria police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If you have been affected by rape or sexual assault, contact The Bridgeway Sexual Assault Support Service’s 24/7 free helpline on 0808 118 6432.