A pensioner has been told to expect a prison sentence after he admitted sexually abusing a girl more than 30 years ago.

Andrew Armstrong, 69, of Walton Street in Sutton, pleaded guilty to 11 charges involving indecent assaults and indecency with a child when he appeared before a judge at Bradford Crown Court on Friday.

The offending covers a period between 1971 and 1981, and relates to the same complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Armstrong pleaded not guilty to two similar charges, but Judge Jonathan Rose said he agreed with the prosecution view it was not in the public interest to have a trial on those matters.

The judge heard Armstrong was a carer for his elder brother, and Judge Rose said arrangements should be made for his care in the future. Judge Rose said the outcome of the case was almost inevitably custody, and there must be arrangements in place for the care of the brother in Armstrong’s absence.

The judge described the offending by Armstrong as “appalling and outrageous”, and said he was confident the outcome would be custody, despite his age and the age of the offences.

Armstrong was told he now had to register with the police as a sex offender, and he was granted bail until September 20.