A Stow-on-the-Wold man has today admitted sexually assaulting a young girl and distributing indecent photographs and videos that he took of her.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, spoke in little more than a whisper as he pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to two charges of sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13 between April 2017 and June last year.

Appearing before the court via Skype link from his home, the man, who is in his 30s, also admitted four charges of taking indecent images of a child between the same dates and three of distributing some of the images.

Judge Michael Cullum was told that a tenth charge against the man alleging rape of the girl between the same dates is not to be proceeded with by the prosecution - but the Crown is applying to amend the charge of one of attempted rape.

Judge Cullum bailed the defendant until June 22.

He said that whatever the court's finding on that day the defendant will not be sentenced on June 22, but at a later date.