A 65 year old Stroud man has been warned he is facing a life sentence after he was convicted today of 12 sex offences against four girls over the last half a century.

Judge Mark Horton said he currently considers Anthony Blakeway a public danger who should be jailed for life. He adjourned sentence on him until later today to allow his barrister time to prepare her defence submissions.

The judge gave the warning after a jury found Blakeway guilty of two charges of rape and ten offences of indecent and sexual assaults.

Blakeway, of Spring Lane, Thrupp, near Stroud, Glos, had denied 14 sex charges dating between 1962 and May 2007 but was cleared of two by the jury, which had been considering its verdicts over the last 3 days.

During the trial the jury heard that Blakeway's long history of sexual abuse came to light when a woman who is now 19 years old went to police in December 2006 to complain that he had raped and sexually abused her during two periods of her life - starting when she was only about 3.

Police investigations led to another teenaged girl - and her boyfriend - making further allegations against Blakeway and he was duly charged and taken before the courts.

Local newspaper reporting of the case at that time prompted two sisters - now women in their fifties - to contact police and allege that Blakeway had abused them in the 1960s.

After the jury returned verdicts today the judge said "The jury have effectively convicted him of more than forty years of sexual offences."

When he told defence counsel Ruth Armstrong that he was considering a life sentence because he had to regard Blakeway as dangerous to society she asked for an adjournment to prepare her arguments.

The judge said he would pass sentence this afternoon if she feels sufficiently able to present her case in the time available.

Blakeway was remanded in custody till after lunch.