A PERVERT who sexually abused a little girl for six months has been sent to prison for the first time -- at the age of 69.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Arthur Page, who had been looking after the six year old child, performed sex acts on himself in front of her and offered to pay her to wear rubber gloves and touch him.

Page, a former Press photographer for a weekly newspaper who had worked throughout East Lancashire and who also had obscene pictures of children on his computer, was jailed for 18 months. He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Sentencing him, Judge Raymond Bennett said his behaviour had been dreadful and involved a certain degree of cunning as the defendant had got the victim's mother out of the house.

Page, formerly of Tower Road, Blackburn, who also has a home in Thailand, admitted six counts of indecency with a child, three of indecent assault and two of possessing indecent pseudo photographs of a child.

Tina Langdale, prosecuting, said Page started to abuse the child by hugging and kissing her and then bought her sweets and ice lollies. He began talking about 'unsuitable' matters to her and performed sex acts on himself.

Page kissed the little girl in 'an adult way' and began to watch her using the toilet. When police searched the defendant's home, they found video film of children using the lavatory.

Miss Langdale said Page put pornographic films on the TV, but the child had thought she was about to watch cartoons. During his later interview with the police, Page accepted he had talked about sex with the girl.

The prosecutor said the defendant told the child not to tell her mother what was going on or he would go to prison and be beaten up. She said the child's mother once returned home to find her daughter with Page and giggling in what was claimed to be some kind of tickling game. She told her it must not happen again but when the girl told her mother it had happened again, Page was stopped from babysitting.

In February, after the defendant had gone on holiday to Thailand, the victim burst out to her mother what had happened

Miss Langdale said Page was arrested at the airport on his return and he told police they should seize his computer. The hard disc had a single image of a child on it and there were five floppy discs showing pornographic images of children under 16.

Mark Stuart, defending, said Page was not in the best of health and was anxious to know his fate. He knew he could be going to custody and did not seek to diminish what he had done.

The defendant, who had a home on Thailand and whose wife was a Thai, had made full and frank admissions to the police. He had been hard-working and industrious all his life and was well thought of.