A SOUTHAMPTON man has been jailed for three years for the historic sexual abuse of a young girl.

Though he is now 23, Wayne Jordan committed the offences when he was 16.

Prosecutor Kerry Maylin told the city crown court they came to light when the victim was struggling with her emotional development and self harming.

She eventually told a friend who lived next door what had happened and she in turn told her own mother, which led to the police being informed.

Jordan later apologised to the girl in a message on a social networking site, saying he was sorry for the way he had treated her and promised it would never happen again.

Jordan, of Orion Close, Lordshill, admitted two charges of rape and two of sexual assault.

In mitigation, Anne Brown said Jordan had ensured the girl knew he would never challenge what she had said and put her through a trial.

Jordan, who was of previous good character, was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.