A man from Abergavenny will be sentenced for a number of child sex offences later today over a year after his trial ended when he changed his plea to guilty.

Daniel Hickey had applied to vacate his admission to five counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of causing or or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of rape. The remaining 16 counts of a similar nature were not formally dismissed.

After sacking his legal team, Hickey had argued he was ‘ill-advised’ and would to revoke his admission, which would have seen the case go back to trial. Two psychiatric reports ordered by his former defence to examine whether he was showing signs of dementia concluded that he was not unfit for proceedings.

At a hearing on September 25 this year, it was deemed he would have to stand by his guilty plea and face the punishment for his crimes. He will be sentenced this afternoon at Cardiff Crown Court.