A child rapist who walked into a police station and "spontaneously" confessed his crimes has been jailed for ten years.

Andrew Steele admitted to officers he had abused one child from the age of eight and raped another girl over nearly a decade in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Judge Lord Bannatyne condemned the 49-year-old for his "utterly deplorable offences".

Defence solicitor advocate Krista Johnston told the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday: "It is somewhat unusual in that he attended the police station after discharge from hospital.

"He went straight down to the police station and spontaneously admitted it to the police at a time when police did not have a report from the victims."

Lord Bannatyne said all the offences were serious and the repeated rape of a girl was "extremely grave".

The judge said the offending had had a significant effect on the victims, adding: "I think it is proper to say your actions towards them have had life-changing effects."

A report prepared on Steele had assessed him as posing a high risk of reoffending if he had access to young children.

Sentencing him to ten years in prison, Lord Bannatyne put an additional five-year supervision order on Steele for after his release.

He warned if he failed to comply with licence conditions he could be returned to jail.

Steele, formerly of William Street, Dunfermline, Fife, will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

Steele admitted abusing one girl from the age of seven at addresses in Kirkcaldy and later raping her as a teenager at a house in the Fife town and in a tent.

He also admitted molesting a second girl from the age of eight in Kirkcaldy. His offending began in 1996 and continued up until 2005.

Advocate depute Mark McGuire told the court both victims had previously made comments about the abuse, and police were contacted but the allegations were retracted.

The prosecutor said: "On December 28 in 2014, the accused voluntarily attended at Kirkcaldy police station and disclosed that he had interfered with the children."

Steele was released pending further enquiries and police traced the victims and obtained statements.

In March last year, he was detained but claimed to officers that on the day of his confessions he was having hallucinations.

Mr McGuire said: "He told them that his mother was up in the sky telling him to confess to interfering with the children.

"He maintained this position throughout the interview. The prosecutor said that immediately before Steele had turned up at the police station to make his original confession he had been at hospital claiming he was hallucinating."

He said tunemployed Steele was seen by doctors who concluded he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal and considered him fit to be discharged.

Ms Johnston said following the confession Steele reverted to being in denial.

She said he now felt "disgusted and ashamed" over the offending.

The defence lawyer said: "The accused is an alcoholic. He has been for many years. As a consequence of his acceptance of his responsibility he has given some closure to the victims."