A jobless South African has been jailed for four years for sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.

Andre Bryant, from Beddington Gardens, in Wallington, was given the maximum sentence for the offences because, according to Judge Shani Barnes, because he was a friend of the family.

The abuse started two years ago and continued until Christmas last year when, during a doctor's appointment, clues started to emerge from the victim - who is now nine.

The 42-year-old, originally from Cape Town, who has four young children of his own, was arrested in February this year after confessing his crimes to police.

Church-going Bryant has claimed unemployment benefits since he was granted a British passport despite also claiming to be a self-employed electrician.

He was described by Judge Barnes, sitting at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, as "a danger to the children of his community".

Judge Barnes said: "I have rarely seen a case where a child has been abused in this way.

"This is not a one off, this is a course of conduct over two years with a child little more than a baby.

"This was ongoing over the years and you did not stop, you were stopped by the child and her mother.

"She had no choice in this, but you did - she was trapped by you for two years because you persuaded yourself she liked it."

Bryant, who pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault, will serve at least at least two years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. He must adhere to the strict conditions of a Sexual Offences Protection Order (SOPO) for the next three years - and also sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

BOX Reacting to the sentence, a friend of the victim's family said: "The family feel that justice has been served and are very happy with the outcome.

"They just accepted this person for who he was and were completely betrayed..

"The only good thing he has done was to admit his guilt so there was no trial - although they feel he hasn't truly grasped the seruousness of what he did.

"It has been a nightmare for them and has massively disrupted all of their lives, the family hope they can now move on because this has dragged on for so long.

"The also want to thank the police for the sensitive way they handled the case."