Sentences handed out in three cases involving rape and sexual assault of children were too lenient, the Attorney General has argued.

Lord Goldsmith QC took the unique step of appearing in person to call for the Court of Appeal to increase the jail terms in these cases.

He also called for a harsher sentence for a fourth case involving the rape on an adult woman witnessed by her child.

His call came after new rape sentencing guidelines were passed last week allowing for tougher jail terms.

Lifetime trauma

Lord Goldsmith said the rape of a child was the most abhorrent form of a crime which called for severe punishment and child sexual abuse left the victim with lasting trauma.

"It distorts and damages the development of these children and their family relationships and other relationships", he said.

He cited the possible long term impact of such early abuse, including the victim's ability to form relationship, the likelihood of suffering depression and loss of self esteem.

But he said he was speaking in general terms and hoped the victims in these particular cases would recover from their experiences.

Threats to kill

In one case, a father had set up a "video club" in his shed where children went to drink and watch pornographic films.

The man was jailed for eight years for raping two young girls and for offences of child cruelty against another child.

One victim, who was a virgin until the attack, was threatened she would be killed if she told anyone.

The other girl was violently raped after the man took her for a ride on his motorcycle.

Lord Goldsmith argued the man should have been sentenced to at least 12 years, if not life imprisonment, for "a very bad case" of introducing children to an atmosphere of sexual depravity.

He asked Lord Justice Mantell, Mr Justice Bell and Mr Justice Andrew Smith to apply the new rape sentencing guidelines laid down last week by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf.

Lord Woolf had said eight years was the "starting point" for rapes on children.

He said they must be increased when there were more than two victims, or when violence was used, or when there was a degree of "planning" by the defendant.

Mitigating factors

Lord Goldsmith said parliament had shown its concern over child abuse by increasing the maximum sentences for those involved in child pornography - "which frequently feeds this sort of abuse" - and those who abuse children while in a position of trust.

He said if a defendant was to be given credit for a guilty plea this had to be made at an early stage rather than waiting for the case to reach "the door of the court" to see if the victim was prepared to give evidence.

Similarly, an offender's previous good character did not count for much in cases of child sex abuse.