It was a horrific crime with horrific implications.

And now a Toronto father will spend the next three years in jail contemplating his actions, after being convicted of infecting his own five-year-old daughter with gonorrhea.

The awful incident took place six years ago, and the little girl has since been treated for her illness. But the consequences may never fade.

The 47-year-old dad, who can't be named to protect the now 11-year-old youngster's identity, was convicted last October of sexual assault causing bodily harm and sexual interference.

But despite that outcome, the father never admitted his guilt or that he was responsible for spreading the disease to his own child.

"He always agreed that he was ... sloppy ... or he just didn't take care," relates defence lawyer Allan Lobel. "So his daughter contracted gonorrhea while they were in the same house."

The sentence hasn't made Crown attorneys happy. They wanted the despicable dad to serve at least 8-10 years. The judge decided three - including four months of time already served - would be enough to send a message.

Police remain astonished that the man simply won't own up to what he did.

"I don't know if he realized what he's done to his daughter," concedes Toronto Police Det. Ann-Marie Tuppling. "I don't think he realizes the emotional and the physical stress that he put on his child. I don't think he realizes what he's done."

His lawyer maintains his client is no longer a danger to society or children, and that he's paying a much higher price than any prison sentence can send.

"He's in a wheelchair," Lobel outlines. "He's got health problems. He's paying a big price now because he's HIV positive. And I don't think there really is much he could do if he wanted to."

But his punishment will be over long before the consequences of this case are.

Children who contract untreated gonorrhea have a 15 percent chance of becoming sterile when they grow up.

Tuppling is one of many who feel the sentence was too lenient, but she's glad that the long ordeal in the courts is over for the victim.

"At the end of the day, we just want a five-year-old girl to get justice," she concludes.