THE FATHER of a 12-year-old girl from York who was groomed for sex over the internet has spoken of his relief after her attacker has had his "unduly lenient" sentence upped.

The Press told of his disgust last year after Adam Bennett, 23, of Uxbridge, who preyed on the youngster after meeting her on the web, was jailed for only two years.

But now he has been given a potentially life-long term behind bars by top judges.

The relieved dad said: "It's great news. It is a pity that we can't have an apology from the judge.

"It was far too short a term and the fact was that he did not pay much attention to what he did to our daughter."

Bennett was jailed for two years at York Crown Court in September after pleading guilty to two counts of rape of a girl under 16, grooming, sexual activity with a child and two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.

He had sex with the 12-year-old and a 14-year old from the Tewkesbury area, both of whom he met through internet chatrooms, then arranged to meet for dates.

The 12-year-old's dad said: "We were obviously gutted when we heard that it was just two years, but to find it has increased is a big relief.

"It just confirmed that we were right in the actions that we took and what was done at the time was wrong."

The sentence was put up for review at London's Criminal Appeal Court by the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith QC, who attacked it as too lenient.

Lord Justice Gage, Mr Justice Burton and Judge Michael Broderick ruled that two years was "unduly lenient" and increased it to a sentence of Indefinite Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP).

The sentence means Bennett will not release until he can persuade the Parole Board he poses no serious public threat.

The court heard how Bennett met the 12-year-old through a chatroom on which she had posted a picture of herself and claimed to be 17. He visited her at her home when her mother was out and had sex with her twice.

Increasing his sentence and ruling that he posed a danger to the public, Lord Justice Gage said: "These were serious offence involving young girls.

"The offender had a sexual interest in children which was on-going. These offences determine that further offences may cause serious psychological harm to members of the public.

"The judge fell into error by considering that this offender was not dangerous and he ought to have imposed a sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection. This sentence was unduly lenient."

He ruled that Bennett must serve at least two-and-a-half years behind bars - the equivalent of a five-year term - before he can even apply for parole.