A man who raped a vulnerable 12-year-old girl has been jailed for seven years.

Warren Gillespie, 41, admitted sexually assaulting and raping the child in Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, in September 2014.

Sentencing the former supermarket worker on Monday, judge Kenneth Maciver QC said it was clear Gillespie's crime had significantly affected his victim.

"This was the rape of a girl of 12-and-a-half years of age with accompanying features of significant sexual assault," he told the High Court in Edinburgh.

The judge ordered Gillespie be kept under supervision for a further two years and placed him on the sex offenders register.

Gillespie claimed his victim had invented the attack but forensic analysis of the girl's clothing supported her account.

Defence counsel David Moggach told the court: "His fall from grace has been spectacular. It is a rather spectacular fall but it must be acknowledged it is a fall at his own hands."

"For whatever reasons he allowed himself to act in the manner that he did and, of course, he knows that was wrong,.

Police Scotland launched an investigation after Gillespie's young victim contacted officers.

Detective sergeant Barry Stewart said: "Gillespie targeted a vulnerable young girl and today he has been held accountable for his actions.

"Whenever incidents of child abuse are brought to our attention they will be fully investigated by specialist officers who will provide dedicated support.

"Gillespie's victim should be commended for having the courage to come forward and report his actions. Such actions are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"The police will always listens to victims of serious sexual crimes no matter when they occurred and will carry out a thorough investigation.

"We hope that this sentence will bring some form of closure for his victim and that she can now move on with her life."