A former teacher has been jailed for abducting a child leaving his victim's family devastated.

Gary Baum, 57, was said to lost everything when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today after he committed three offences including child porn.

Baum, described as a man of previous good character, admitted abducting the child on December 9 last year at an earlier hearing where he also pleaded guilty to taking and making indecent images of the same child over the course of several months last year.

Sentencing him Judge Barbara Forrester heard Baum initially lied when his illegal acts were investigated by police.

His criminal conduct was said to have "devastated" his victim's family.

Judge Forrester admitted she had considered whether an eight-month prison term could be suspended.

"But I have come to the conclusion that this is so serious that the sentence should be served immediately," the judge told him.

Baum, from Penruddock, near Penrith, must sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years, and will be subject to the strict terms of a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

His case will also be reported to the independent safeguarding authorities.