AN UNEMPLOYED carpenter has been jailed for nine months after admitting sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Father-of-two Matthew Bond from Suffolk Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to molesting the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, in Christchurch last autumn.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Carolyn Branford-Wood said Bond, 29, was arrested after his victim confided in a friend.

Defending, David Bartlett described the case as “unusual” and “ a moment of madness,” adding: “This young man was seriously abusing alcohol and cocaine at the time. It provides no excuse but it does provide an explanation.”

Mr Bartlett stressed that his client had given himself up at Bournemouth police station and “expressed genuine remorse”.

Sentencing Bond, Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC said: “I find this a sad case. Child sexual abuse arouses very strong emotions; you were unable to resist the temptation.

“I’m afraid the court has to take a very serious view of this kind of conduct. You must understand the impact on a young girl could have been very considerable.”

Bond will be a registered sex offender for 10 years.