A Chinese man has been jailed for three years after selling his 18-day-old baby daughter online so he could buy an iPhone.

The man, known only as “A Duan”, from Tong’an, Fujian province, south eastern China, found a buyer for his infant daughter on the social media site QQ, who paid £2,500 (23,000 Yuan) for the baby, according to the People’s Daily Online.

The man allegedly intended to buy an iPhone and a motorbike with the funds.

The mother, called “Xiao Mei” in reports, reportedly worked many part-time jobs while the father spent his most of time in internet cafes.

Both parents were 19 when they went through with the unplanned pregnancy.

The baby was purchased for the un-named buyer’s sister. As the parents are not in a financial position to raise the child it is understood the infant is still with the buyer’s sister, the Epoch Times reports.

The buyer allegedly turned himself into police after acquiring the infant.

Mei had fled from Tong’an after the baby was sold, but was tracked down by police investigating the illegal sale.

Mei reportedly told police: “I myself was adopted, and may people in my hometown send their kids to other people to raise them. I really didn’t know that it was illegal.”