A 48-YEAR OLD man has been warned he will face a lengthy jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to three counts of raping a child.

David Whatmore was due to stand trial for a raft of sexual offences against a child at Bolton Crown Court.

But he changed a number of his pleas to guilty on the day the trial was due to start yesterday.

Whatmore, of Knightswood, Hulton, was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to three counts of raping a child under the age of 13 between June 2010 and May 2012.

He pleaded guilty to a further count of the attempted rape of a child under the age of 13 between June 2011 and May 2012.

Whatmore also pleaded guilty to two charges of rape, which occurred between June and December in 2012.

Whatmore had initially been charged with further offences, but a decision was taken by the Crown Prosecution Service that he should be sentenced on the counts he has pleaded guilty to, in order to avoid a full trial.

His defence barrister Virginia Hayton said: “The defendant is well aware that he will receive a lengthy custodial sentence.”

Her assertion was confirmed by Judge Peter Davies who added: “You know you have committed extremely serious offences — the only type of sentence you will receive is one of custody.”

Whatmore will be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on October 13.