A paedophile who "groomed his victims for further exploitation" has failed in his Appeal Court bid to cut his seven-year sentence.

Andrew Adcock, 44, of Valentines Lea, Bognor Regis, was jailed for a string of sex offences against three girls.

He was convicted of five counts of indecent assault, but found not guilty of two counts of attempted rape, and was jailed by a judge at Chichester Crown Court on July 19 last year.

The court heard how Adcock had subjected the girls, aged between seven and 11 years, to a campaign of abuse between January 1998 and August 1999.

Adcock's counsel, Christopher Stopa, argued at London's Criminal Appeal Court that the sentence was "manifestly excessive."

He said: "I would submit that the evidence you have before you now is not enough to suggest he is a confirmed paedophile."

He added that Adcock had had a stroke while in prison and suffered from epilepsy.

Dismissing the appeal, Lord Justice Henry said it was a matter for Home Secretary, Jack Straw, to decide whether Adcock's medical condition meant he should be released early. He said: "Adcock pleaded not guilty thereby depriving himself of any mitigation. The children had a right to be protected from acts of depravity - a total of seven years in prison cannot be faulted."