Man guilty of child sex attacks

Coles, pictured at Taunton Crown Court Wednesday

A paedophile carried out a string of sexual assaults against girls lured with the promise of drink, drugs and cigarettes, a jury has found.

Martyn Coles, 55, preyed on "vulnerable and impressionable" girls as young as 11 at his home in Milverton, Somerset, Taunton Crown Court heard.

The 25 charges, which include rape, cover an eight year period.

The jury found him guilty on 15 counts, and are considering a further seven. He was found not guilty of three charges.

The offences relate to six girls who gave evidence via video link in a trial lasting two weeks.

Coles claimed none of the offences occurred and said the children had concocted the allegations.

The house in Milverton where the offences took place

He admitted befriending the girls, and on occasion offering accommodation when they had been thrown out by parents.

He repeatedly denied sexual abuse, telling the court their evidence amounted to the girls "getting together and getting bitchy".

The guilty verdicts followed nearly three days of deliberations by the jury.

Judge Graham Hume Jones told them it was important they came to verdicts on the outstanding charges, before sending them home for a third night.

They will begin deliberations again on Thursday.