A MAN who had sex with an underage girl and ignored police warnings to stay away from her has been jailed for eight years.

A York jury heard in March that Kyril John McClean gave the teenager drugs and legal highs before having sex with her on at least three occasions.

When he returned to York Crown Court for sentencing, Philip Standfast, prosecuting, said he had previous convictions for arson and having an explosive substance committed after the break-up of previous relationships, and a conviction for indecent exposure.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said a doctor had given McClean a treatment plan to deal with his problems, but he hadn't followed it.

Police made an order for McClean to stay away from the girl, but Judge Stubbs said: "You told them in no uncertain terms you wanted nothing to do with their order."

He jailed McClean for eight years, plus four years' extended prison licence, gave him a sexual harm prevention order restricting his behaviour including banning him from contacting the girl and another girl and put him on the sex offenders' register for life.

McClean, 27, of Yorkersgate, Malton, denied two charges of sexual activity with a child but was convicted by the jury. He admitted separate charges of breaching a restraining order aimed at protecting his grandmother by sending her abusive text messages, and fraud by using a bank card that didn't belong to him.

His grandmother wrote a letter to the judge supporting him, which the judge said reflected great credit on her.

McClean's barrister Alex Menary said he had been diagnosed as having an emotional personality disorder and that he had a "fairly unhappy family history".

Detective Constable Tracey Brewster of North Yorkshire Police said: “I welcome the sentence passed today by the court, which reflects the seriousness and gravity of the offending against the victim by McClean and shows that offences of this kind are completely unacceptable.

“I would like to thank the victim and witnesses for coming forward and their bravery in giving evidence in this case. Without their evidence, securing these convictions would not have been possible.

“Myself and my colleagues are completely committed to protecting victims of crime and the public of North Yorkshire and ensuring offenders like Kyril McClean are put behind bars for a significant amount of time, where they can do no more harm.”