A man who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl before cutting his wrists with a knife has been jailed for four years.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday (April 14) Andrew Mc- Carthy, 39, admitted indecently assaulting the girl four times between October 2001 and February this year.

Nick Syfret, prosecuting, told the court the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had complained to her school and social services about McCarthy.

But the authorities decided she was "attention seeking" when McCarthy denied it, and did not investigate further.

On February 21 this year, he carried out a serious sexual assault on the girl and then immediately started cutting his wrists.

McCarthy was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He later admitted indecent assault and lying to social services on an earlier occasion.

Matthew Walsh, defending, said: "It's unfortunate that social services at that stage did not investigate the matter any further."

McCarthy, of Clarkes Row Bail Hostel, Oxford, has a previous conviction for actual bodily harm in 1999.

He was sentenced to four years in prison for the February assault and two years concurrently for the three other assaults. His name will be put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.