AN EVIL couple who subjected a six-year-old girl to horrific sexual abuse have had their sentences increased by nine years.

Alex Bryan, 35, of no fixed address, was initially sentenced to 12 years for raping and abusing the girl at a flat in Benfleet, but had his sentence increased to 19 years with a five-year extended licence by the court of appeal yesterday.

The girl’s mum, who the Echo has chosen not to name in order to protect the child, had her sentence increased from five-and-ahalf years to eight years in jail.

Themove comes after an appeal lodged by Solicitor General Robert Buckland who said the terms were unduly lenient.

Speaking after the hearing today, he said: “All cases which involve the sexual assault of a child are shocking, but the fact these offences were carried out by adults in collusion with each other, make it particularly so.

“The male offender was a manipulative lead player in these offences and I feel the renewed sentence of 19 years’ imprisonment with a five-year extended licence period handed to him today now reflects that.

“The woman knew what was happening and not only played a role in the abuse – she was fully responsible for the cruelty which the child suffered.”

Bryan was found guilty of child cruelty, sexual assault of a child, two counts of rape and sexual assault by Judge Owen Jones at Basildon Crown Court on October 24, 2014.

The child’s 36-year-old mum, who helped the man to rape her daughter, admitted child cruelty and three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The authorities were alerted to the abuse after a social services tip-off.

They visited the child’s home and found it was filthy.

There were no sheets on her bed and she slept on a dirty and stained pillow. The victim’s hair wasmatted and crawling with lice and there was adult pornography stashed under her bed.

Further investigations and interviews with the little girl revealed she was being sexually abused by Bryan, who was a friend of her mother.

In interview, the victim said Bryan told her “her mother would die” if she told anyone about the sexual abuse.

The victim was removed from the flat by social services and placed with a foster family.

The Echo is not publishing a picture of Bryan, in order to prevent any further distress to the victim.