A MAN has appeared in court and admitted a child sex attack which happened more than a decade ago.

Cyril Sherwin, 52, yesterday pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl in the early 1990s.

Sherwin, of Drummond Terrace, South Shields, initially faced eight charges relating to the same girl, but prosecutors dropped the remaining counts after his guilty plea to just one.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how his victim was consulted and agreed with the course of action, which meant she did not have to give evidence.

Sherwin will be sentenced on April 20 after the preparation of reports by the probation service sex offender team.