A MAN who subjected a young girl to a "campaign of rape" and threatened to drown her if she revealed her ordeal has been jailed for 20 years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday that Robert Ormrod, 43, also threatened the victim, who was aged between eight and 14 at the time of the offences, he would abuse her sister if she told anyone.

Ormrod, of Brynn Street, St Helens, who repeatedly assaulted the girl over a seven year period, was convicted of six charges of rape after a trial.

He was also convicted of sexual assaulting and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity involving abusing a six-year-old boy and another young girl.

The court heard the behaviour of the children had deteriorated since the abuse, and at least two have needed the intervention of the authorities.

Judge Thomas Teague, QC, sentencing, told Ormrod: “The bare recital of these convictions gives some indication of the level of depravity to which you sank.”

He imposed an extra year’s licence under new legislation and Ormrod will be assessed by the Parole Board after ten years as to whether he is a risk to the public and if if so he will have to serve the full term.

Defence barrister Carmel Wilde said Ormerod had been sexually abused as a child.

She said: “Although it is no excuse whatsoever for the nature of this disgusting offending, it’s very clear that this is a troubled defendant with a very troubled past.”

Ms Wilde said child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which works with sex offenders to prevent further abuse, had produced a report on Ormrod which suggested his “thinking was distorted.”

The report revealed that through his childhood “all closeness and comfort had a sexual component,” she said.

The court heard Ormrod claimed he was hearing voices and had an ‘alter-ego’, and was also being monitored in prison after repeatedly self harming.

He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.