A PAEDOPHILE jailed for horrific sex abuse against a young boy has had his appeal against the length of his sentence thrown out by senior judges.

Joseph Alfred Peter Lee, 31, of Bath Road, Melksham, admitted a string of serious sex offences, including rape and having child abuse video and images.

He was sentenced to 14 years and eight months' jail, with another three years and four months to serve on extended licence.

On Tuesday he claimed the sentence - imposed at Swindon Crown Court in March - was too tough.

But three senior judges at London's Court of Appeal took only a matter of minutes to kick out the pervert's sentence appeal.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said the sentence which Lee had received for his vile offending was fully justified and deserved.

"It was clear that the sentencing judge regarded him as dangerous, and was plainly right to do so," said the appeal judge.

"The scale of his offending spoke for itself."

The court heard Lee had admitted rapes, sexual assaults, attempted rape, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and 24 child abuse video and image offences.

However, his lawyers argued that the crown court judge had passed a sentence which was simply too long.

But Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, sitting with Lord Justice Beatson and Judge Geoffrey Marson QC, said rejected the appeal.

"In our judgment, there is no substance in any of the grounds of appeal," he told the court.

"The judge's approach to this sentencing exercise cannot be faulted."

The child abuse videos and images which Lee had been found to have were said to be some of the "most disturbing" police had seen, he added.