A VILE paedophile who filmed himself abusing a three-year-old girl and posted the images online was today jailed for eight years.

Hugh Sim, 30, from Renfrew, who is assessed as a high risk re- offending, will be monitored in the community for two years after he is released.

Sim was snared after he sent the indecent images to a paedophile chat group in New Zealand.

Today at the High Court in Glasgow Judge Johnston told Sim: “You were convicted of a catalogue of sexual offending over a two-year-period starting when your victim was three.

“You photographed and filmed that abuse which took place many times for your sexual gratification. These images were distributed online and found by police in New Zealand.

“The damage you have caused to that little girl is catastrophic and she now has difficulty forming attachments.”

Judge Johnston said that Sim had done his best to conceal his actions and added: “Had it not been for the work of the police in this country and the authorities in New Zealand your offences may never have come to light. You have shown no remorse and continue to protest your innocence.”

Sim denied that person seen on videos with the young girl was him, but a former lover identified him by his heavyset build and ginger body hair.

During a police inquiry in New Zealand into the members of the paedophile chat group it was established that one of the users had logged on from the UK. and an internet search uncovered the subscriber as Sim.

Sim was convicted of making and distributing indecent photographs of children and sexually abusing a girl over a two year period from 2013 to 2015 at a house in Renfrew.

He was also found guilty of intentionally engaging in sexual activity in the presence of the young girl when she was aged between three and five.

Sim was originally charged with raping the girl, but that charge was withdrawn by the Crown.

Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie said: “There is no doubt that the images of the girl have been distributed, because they were found by police in New Zealand. So at the very least they must have been distributed there.”

In one of the vile films Sim is lifting the little girl's to expose her private parts while she protests and tries to cover herself.

The jury also saw numerous images of the girl naked sitting on a toy car and in a kitchen only wearing pink pants.

Miss Gillespie said: “These are not innocent snaps of a little girl who happens to be partially undressed or naked.

“There is no artistic merit in photographing little girl's buttocks or genitals while her face isn't visible, her face has been deliberately cropped off. These are not snapshots for family album.”

Sim denied all the charges against him and claimed he was not the person who took the photographs of the girl or abused her.

Sim's young victim was not called on to give evidence. Instead the Crown relied on the vile photographs taken by her abuser to prove their case.

Prosecutor Ms Gillespie said: “She can't come into the witness box and tell us who did these things to her. That is why we had to show these images.

“The person who took those images and abused the young girl was the accused.

“It is as clear as if she herself had walked into the courtroom and pointed out Sim and said: 'It was him.'”

The defence argued that the photographs could have been taken by others who had access to Sim's computer, but the jury did not believe that.

Defence counsel Susan Duff said: “He accepts that he has been convicted of these offences, but maintains his position of claiming he is not guilty.”

“The most serious charge, that of rape, was withdrawn by the Crown.”

Sim was placed on the sex offenders' register.