The father of a historic sex abuse victim has described his daughter’s convicted attacker as a “devious and cunning paedophile”.

Martyn Lello, 55, from Powys in Wales, is facing up to 14 years behind bars for the prolonged period of abuse against a girl aged nine to 12 in the early 1980s.

Appearing at Kingston Crown Court on November 30 he was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency with a child, all said to have taken place between 1983-88.

The victim, who is now in her late 30s, knew the defendant when she was growing up in Balham but only reported her horrific ordeal to police in 2011 after telling her husband.

Speaking after the trial concluded the victim’s father said he believes Lello may have abused girls elsewhere in the country.

He said: “Martyn Lello has proved himself to be a devious and cunning paedophile.

"I am convinced there are other victims of this vile creature suffering in silence as my daughter has done for 30 years.

“I would urge them to have the strength to report these offences to the police as she did last year.

“I know he had friends in Ipswich with a daughter the same age as mine.

“I can’t help but wonder if she, poor child, was abused at the same time.”

During the trial, the victim, who spoke from behind a screen and who cannot be named for legal reasons, described in detail the sickening abuse she endured.

She said: “He was always affectionate to me, but that changed to a sexual nature.

“It started with hugs and cuddles but then he used to massage me and he gradually got braver each time.

“I knew it was private and inappropriate but I was a child.”

Lello, who was 27 when he started abusing the girl, was convicted by a jury of nine women and three men.

He will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on December 21.