A distressed man who confessed to police while on his way to hospital that he had abused a young girl has been jailed.

Mark Baker, formerly from Chatham, told officers he felt "his head was going to explode" if he did not tell them of his perverse behaviour. The 48-year-old added that he needed to be punished.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that police were called to help the coastguard along the Esplanade in Rochester in October last year.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said Baker's behaviour was "very unpredictable" and he had to be handcuffed.

"He was varying between being aggressive and abusive to reasonable and coherent," said Mr Yale.

But as he was being taken to hospital Baker made his shock confession. Mr Yale explained: "He said: 'I need to see a detective as I have committed some crimes. I have been sexually abusing... it's doing my head in so much it feels like it's going to explode.

"I need to get these things off my chest because it is making me ill. I need to be punished for what I have done."

Baker, now of no address, admitted six offences of sexual activity with a child.

The court was told abuse consisted of fondling the victim's breasts and touching her nipples. On one occasion a more serious sexual assault took place.

Jailing Baker, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said such offences were "calculated to cause traumatic effects".

"It is no surprise, sad though it is, to read the victim impact statement, to see the ongoing effects your behaviour has had on her," the judge said.

He added Baker had shown genuine remorse.

Baker was also made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from unsupervised contact with any child under 16, and must sign on the sex offenders' register indefinitely. He has already served 130 days on remand.