An Ayr cleaner who sexually abused a 13-year-old schoolgirl has been caged for six years.

Kevin Finnigan’s name will also remain on the sex offenders’ register for six years and his convictions will be notified to Scottish Ministers under protection of vulnerable groups legislation.

Passing sentence at the High Court in Livingston, Judge Lord Mulholland said the gravity of the charges and the risk Finnigan posed to the public meant a custodial sentence was the only appropriate disposal.

The court heard that Finnigan’s victim first told a college lecturer what he had done to her and he advised her to go to the police.

Finnigan was interviewed by police but denied having sex with her while she was under 16.

He insisted that intercourse with her after she turned 16 had been consensual.

In summer 2018 the girl – then 24 - told her father about Finnigan sexually abusing her and he encouraged her to contact the police again.

Finnigan, from Ayr, eventually pled guilty at Glasgow High Court to abusing the girl from the age of 13 onwards when he was looking after her between November 2007 and November 2012.

He also admitted having underage sex with the youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, when she was 15.

He admitted committing the offences at various addresses in Ayr.

Prosecutor Euan Cameron said the girl “felt powerless to resist what he was doing to her”.

She also felt unable to disclose his course of sexual conduct to anyone.

She was in first year at secondary school when he first sexually abused her.

She told police that what he did to her made her feel very uncomfortable.

Finnigan had sex with her for the first time when she was in third year at school.

He went on to have sex with her on numerous occasions while he was in a position of trust.

His not guilty pleas to charges of raping the girl were accepted by the Crown.

Finnigan, who has been in custody since October 9, had previous convictions for domestic abuse.

He was sentenced today, Thursday, December 10, to three years in prison for indecent behaviour towards a girl aged between 12 and 16 and a further three years for having underage sex while in a position of trust.

The judge ordered that the sentences should be served consecutive to each other but backdated them to the date Finnigan was remanded in custody.