MICHAEL Brown was jailed for committing “the ultimate breach of trust” by abusing his own daughter.

Brown was sentenced to four years behind bars after admitting two charges of incest against a minor and incest against an adult.

The 50-year-old, formerly of Osbaldwick Lane, in York, had not seen Kayleigh since she was a baby when he was reunited with her in 2002.

Brown, who fixed and sold bikes for a living before leaving his job when his past came to light, began abusing her in November that year, when she was 15.

During the first 15 months of their sexual relationship she became pregnant, although York Crown Court heard the child was believed to have been conceived with Kayleigh’s current partner, the father of her two children.

Michael Smith, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court: “Because of her motherhood and relationship, it is fair to say that any sexual relationship between the complainant and her father fizzled out.”

However, he said the pair later had another sexual encounter by York’s riverside when she was 18.

Police began investigating when the victim’s boyfriend found incriminating text messages from her father and reported it.

Brown admitted having an incestuous relationship with his daughter after he was arrested. Mr Smith said Kayleigh had been left traumatised by the events, adding: “She is sickened by the memories of what has happened to her.”

Simon Keeley, mitigating, said the circumstances were “unusual and, fair to say, tragic”, adding the sexual relationship was consensual, but conceding the defendant “was the adult and he was in a position of responsibility”.

At the sentencing at York Crown Court, the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Brown: “All cases of incest are extremely worrying and to have sexual relations with your own daughter is the ultimate breach of trust.

“I do not lose sight of the fact that, when you began sexual intercourse, you were at that point a man in your forties and all the alarm bells that should have been ringing you ignored.”

He also said Kayleigh’s life had been “left in turmoil as a result of what you did”.

Brown has been forbidden to contact his daughter by person or via email, text or the internet.