A man pleaded guilty to raping and indecently assaulting a young girl he was living with more than 30 years ago.

Steven Rushworth, 62, of Pooltown Road, Ellesmere Port, appeared in Warrington Crown Court yesterday charged with four counts of indecent assault and one count of rape dating back to the 1970s.

The court heard how between October 1979 and December 1982 Rushworth indecently assaulted a young girl aged between seven and 10 while he lived with her in Chester.

Rushworth, who has been on bail since 2009, pleaded guilty to the charges just hours before his trial was due to begin.

Defending Patrick Thompson said that Rushworth had not offended since then and described his client as in ‘very poor health’

Remanding Rushworth in custody while pre-sentence reportsare prepared, Judge Thomas Teague said: “These are very, very serious offences.”

Rushworth will be sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on October 28.