A pervert who attempted to rape a child but was tackled to the ground by the victim’s father has been jailed for 15 years.

Gary Taylor, 51, of Electric Avenue, Southend-on-sea, Essex, pleaded guilty to the “despicable crime” at Wood Green Crown Court on September 26.

He was sentenced at the same court and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, last Friday.

The crime took place when Taylor was visiting a friend who lived in the same building as his victim in Haringey on August 27,which has a shared bathroom between all the tenants.

Taylor was seen on CCTV naked and at the door of his friend's flat waiting for the victim’s father to use the bathroom, leaving the child unprotected.

Once the bathroom was free and the father went to use it, Taylor moved off camera and towards the victim’s flat.

He entered the flat, assaulted the child’s mother and then attempted to rape the child.

The father then returned to the flat and saw Taylor on top of his child, so rugby tackled him to the ground.

Taylor managed to get away by jumping out of the window and ran down the street still naked.

He was later caught by people in the street and the police were called.

He was taken to hospital with minor injuries after being caught and taken to hospital.

It was discovered he was under the influence of a Class A drug and alcohol.

He was charged on August 28 when he was released from hospital and remanded into custody.

Detective Inspector Jimi Tele, who led the investigation, said: "This was a despicable crime committed against an innocent child; the child and their parents should never have had to experience this, and the fact Taylor was under the influence of drugs and alcohol is no excuse.

"I want to thank the family for their bravery in working with police to ensure Taylor was held accountable for his actions; I hope that his sentence today provides them with some comfort and enables them to move on with their lives.”