A man who treated a 14-year-old girl like an "adult girlfriend" has been jailed for six years.

Taxi operator Keith Hamilton, 42, progressed from indecently touching the girl to having full intercourse on at least three occasions late last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that some offences took place while his wife was in hospital for nine days.

David Crook, prosecuting, said the offences came to light last November, when the girl disclosed that he had indecently touched her before having full sex in the preceding weeks.

Mr Crook said the girl described how the offences took place after Hamilton had been drinking, and, if she tried to resist, he would tell her to "shut up", punching her in the ribs and pinning her arms down.

Mr Crook said the girl told police that Hamilton would say that he "loved her" and at first she said nothing about what was going on, as "she just wanted a normal life".

When his activities were initially revealed, Hamilton fled the country and had to be persuaded to return by friends.

He told police he had intercourse two or three times, describing her as, "a girl growing into a woman", saying it was always consensual.

But, Hamilton, of Charters Crescent, South Hetton, County Durham, admitted three counts of rape and one of sexual touching at a recent hearing.

Returning for sentence, on Friday, his barrister, Robin Patton, told the court: "She bears no blame or responsibility for the situation he finds himself in, or for the activities that took place.

"She didn't encourage him in any way."

Mr Patton said "various problems" existed in Hamilton's personal life at the time. But he said the probation report did not consider him to pose a threat of repeating the offences.

Mr Patton said Hamilton, who he described as "hard working", having previously run a successful business, suffered stress when it began to fail, turning to drink.

Judge Peter Armstrong told Hamilton: "It began with touching and progressed to having full intercourse.

"You were treating her like an adult girlfriend when she was, in fact, still a child."

The judge imposed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, restricting Hamilton having future contact with children.