Paedophile who subjected a young girl to a campaign of rape.

Robert David Ormrod, 43, now identifies as a woman, Rebecca Louise Ormrod, and has been jailed for 20 years for subjecting a young girl to a campaign of rape and threats.

The court heard that Ormrod, of Brynn Street, St Helens, subjected the victim, aged between eight and 14 at the time of the offences, to multiple rapes over a seven-year period. He also threatened to abuse her sister if she told anyone.

Ormrod was convicted of six counts of rape after a trial. His wife was aware of one incident of abuse but only warned him to stop or he would get in trouble.

Ormrod was also convicted of sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity after abusing a six-year-old boy and another young girl. These offenses related to single incidents.

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

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

Carmel Wilde, representing Ormrod, said her client was sexually abused himself as a child. "Although it is no excuse whatsoever for the nature of this disgusting offending, its very clear that this is a troubled defendant with a very troubled past. He has sustained sexual abuse himself," Ms Wilde said.

Ms Wilde said child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which works with sex offenders to prevent further abuse, 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.

Judge Teague said the report and his experience in the courts suggested it was fairly common for paedophiles to have suffered abuse themselves as children.

The court heard Ormrod claimed he was hearing voices and had an alter-ego, and was also on suicide watch in prison after persistently self harming.

Ormrod will be eligible for release after half his sentence, but only if a parole board consider him no longer a danger to the public.