A predator who repeatedly raped a young girl has been jailed for eight years.

Steven Hanlon attacked his victim when she was eight and nine at addresses in Fife before she reported the the abuse to a woman.

Hanlon, 37, warned the girl that if she told anyone about what was happening he would be sent to prison.

Hanlon, formerly of Kelty, Fife, had earlier admitted sexually assaulting and raping her on various occasions between July 2014 and August last year.

Lord Boyd told him at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday: "It seems clear that you used this young girl as a sexual object for your own gratification."

He added: "The fact is you have committed a very serious sexual offence against a young girl."

He ordered that the sex offender be kept under supervision for a further three years after his jail term.

Hanlon, who had worked as a warehouse operative with Amazon, was placed on the sex offenders register.

Defence solicitor advocate Graeme Brown said Hanlon had been abusing alcohol at the time of the crime.

He added: "He feels significant remorse for the offence."

Detective inspector June Peebles, from Police Scotland's child abuse investigations unit, said: "Steven Hanlon subjected a young girl to horrific abuse over a prolonged period and as a result of the evidence gathered against him by Police Scotland he will now spend several years in prison.

"I would like to take this opportunity to praise his victim for her maturity in courage when assisting us with our investigation. This played a key role in ensuring a conviction against Hanlon.

"The public can rest assured that whenever sexual offences are reported to us they will be investigated professionally and robustly to bring those responsible to justice."