An 88-year-old Wirral man who admits historic sex offences involving three young girls has been warned to expect a jail sentence.

Kenneth Glazebrook, who sat in the well of the court on his mobility scooter, had been due to face sentence on Monday but after the prosecution case was opened the hearing was adjourned until Thursday because of lack of court time.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, told white haired Glazebrook,”Not withstanding your chronic poor health and the fact you are 88 and very immobile you must prepare yourself for an immediate prison sentence on Thursday.”

Glazebrook, of Devereaux Drive, Wallasey, shook his head, as he had done while the facts of the case were earlier outlined.

He was further remanded on bail.

He pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting one girl when she was 12, two offences of abusing another when she was aged between eight and 14 and a further two offences against the third child when she was aged between ten and 16.

Michael Scholes, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that after two of the victims came forward in 2014 and told police about his sexually abusive behaviour while they were living in Wirral the third victim read about it in a local newspaper and also spoke to the police about what he had done to her when she was 12.

He read victim impact statements from the victims who all spoke about how badly they had been affected by the offences including how their own adult sex lives had been harmed along with their self-confidence.

One told how depression led her to alcohol abuse and broken relationships and another said, “these incidents will stay with me for the rest of my life."

The third victim said she remembered his heavy breathing and if she hears heavy breathing while in situations such as queues she panics and has to leave.

The court heard the charges, which include specimen offences representing a course of conduct, spanned between March 1972 to March 1994.

He denied four other similar offences against the three girls and two further indecent assault offences against a young woman between 1977 and December 1993, and these were ordered to lie on the file.