A MAN who repeatedly raped a young girl, starting when she as just eight years old, has been told to expect an ‘extremely long’ jail term.

Shaun Rudman had abused the child since she was six, continuing to Christmas 2012, when she was 14.

The 43-year-old, of Sheringham Court, Liden, admitted two counts of rape, two of attempted rape and one of sexual assault of a child under 13.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the charges were all multi-incident counts, meaning each offence took place a number of times.

Rudman denied a charge of rape relating to when the girl was aged between six and eight and the Crown said they would not seek a trial on that.

Rob Ross, defending, said he would be seeking a further psychiatric report on his client, adding: “He accepts he is facing a very long sentence.”

Judge Tim Mousley QC adjourned the case to Friday, March 21, and remanded him in custody until then.

He said: “You have pleaded guilty to extremely serious offences and the sentence that will be passed upon you inevitably will be an extremely long one.”