A 35-year-old Ipswich man who raped a schoolgirl has been warned he is facing a lengthy jail term when he is sentenced in January.

Christopher Banham, of Chesterton Close, Ipswich pleaded guilty to nine child sex offences at a plea and trial preparation hearing at the town’s Crown court via a prison video link on Monday (October 19).

He admitted three offences of rape, four of sexual assault of a child by penetration, taking five indecent photographs of a child and distributing five indecent photographs of a child.

The offences took place between November 2019 and September this year.

Judge Emma Peters adjourned sentence until January 18 and warned Banham that he was facing a “very considerable custodial sentence”.

Banham will continue to be remanded in custody.