A man who sexually abused his girlfriend's young daughter was jailed for four years on Friday.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had incited the girl on several occasions to touch his penis and also once rubbed his penis against her vagina.

The girl, who is now aged ten, was seven and eight when the offences occurred when she was alone with the 44-year-old self-employed general contractor.

He was found guilty of touching a young person with his genitalia while in a position of trust and inciting a young person to touch his penis while in a position of trust.

He was found not guilty of a charge of sexual assault.

All the offences took place between 1995 and 1996.

The offences took place while the girl's mother was out working. On one occasion he urinated into her hand and on another he told her to lay down on her mother's bed while he abused her.

There was no penetration.

The man was arrested on June 1997.

Keren Lomas, defending, called for him to be treated under the Prison Sexual Offenders Programme as part of a community-based sentence.

She cited a report by senior prison psychologist Dr. Christopher Snyder, which stated the defendant could be treated in the community and was a low risk.

There he could remain in employment and contribute to the economy.

She said he showed remorse and a willingness to be an activist for the objectives of the sexual offenders programme.

But Magistrate Edward King said there would be a public outcry if a man who had abused a young girl was allowed to go free.

"I can't have people interfering with children. The public in Bermuda are crying out for punishment of these people,'' he said.

He added that there was more in Dr. Snyder's report than came out in the court case. "If the public were to know all that is in here they would cry foul on a probationary sentence.''