seven lifetime protection orders on Smith under the Sexual Offences Act, preventing him from being in contact with children under the age of 18.

A man whose partner is accused of murdering her two children in a Spanish hotel has been caged for 16 years for an horrendous catalogue of paedophile sex offences.

Fomer TV psychic Martin Smith, 45, used hypnosis and violence to groom and sexually abuse the young girl, known as "Miss A".

Smith had regular access to the girl and abused her for almost a decade from the age of seven.

The victim, now aged 22, told the jury how Smith would attempt to hypnotise, hit and bully her to ensure she complied with his demands between 1995 and 2005.

Smith and his partner Lianne Smith, 44, fled the UK in December 2007 after he had been accused of the child sex offences while they were living in Staffordshire.

Originally from North Shields, Martin Smith was extradited to the UK to stand trial on 7th May 2010.

Just over a week later, Lianne Smith's daughter, Rebecca, five, and her son Daniel, 11 months, were found dead in the Hotel Miramar at Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava on 18th May.

He was found guilty of 11 specimen counts of rape, attempted rape, indecency with a child and indecent assault after a week-long trial at Manchester Crown Court last December.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Mr Justice Stephen Irwin imposed a series of seven lifetime protection orders on Smith under the Sexual Offences Act, preventing him from being in contact with children under the age of 18.

Smith's lawyer, Kim Whittlestone, said: "Martin Smith was previously a man of good character before he met Lianne Smith.

"The events in Spain were out of his control and he has found them extremely distressing."

Dressed in a blue shirt with dark trousers Smith showed no emotion as he sat in the dock during the 55-minute hearing.

He spoke only to confirm that he understood the protection orders that were imposed on him.

Sentencing Smith, Judge Irwin told him: "You have been convicted of a sustained and serious course of sexual abuse, indecent assault, attempted rape and rape, reported over many years."

The judge told Smith he had been guilty of "the most grievous breach of trust" against he victim, who was not in court to see him sentenced.

The judge added: "You continue to deny what had happened which is consistent with your offending.

"You re-write the world to suit yourself and you present a high risk of harm to young girls whom you may meet.

"Your victim said her world was filled with dark and cold memories and she also had to go through the ordeal of re-living that in court. I hope she will be able to live a normal life from now.

"You didn't use contraception and she was lucky not to have become pregnant with your child."

His victim said after his conviction: "I'm delighted with this verdict.

"My motivation has always been to protect other children from Martin Smith. He abused me for more than a decade.

"Even after his arrest, he prolonged my agony by fleeing abroad."

Following the sentencing, a representative from the Crown Prosecution Service in Cumbria, who handled the case, praised Smith's victim for her courage in giving evidence against him.

District Crown Prosecutor, Linda Vance, said: "Martin Smith was convicted by a jury in December of very serious sexual assaults including rape, against a young girl over several years.

"What he did had a devastating effect on her.

"Today he begins a lengthy prison sentence for these terrible crimes and I hope the outcome of the case will help the victim move forward with her life.