A WORCESTER man who molested and raped two young children when he was a teenager has been told by top judges he cannot complain about his six-year jail term.

Robby Sandford committed a string of offences against a boy and a girl – both aged under 12 at the time – when he was about 13 years old.

The 27-year-old, of Ombersley Road, Worcester, threatened to cut the male victim's throat if he ever told anyone what had happened.

He also performed a sex act in front of a 12-year-old boy when he was aged 17.

Sandford denied any wrongdoing when faced with the allegations.

But he was found guilty of six counts of indecency, four of rape and one of sexual activity in the presence of a child at Worcester Crown Court in May last year.

On Thursday he tried to have his sentence cut at the Court of Appeal, in London, with his lawyers arguing it was "too long" given his own youth at the time.

But his complaints were thrown out by three of the country's top judges, who said his punishment was "not excessive".

Mr Justice Langstaff, sitting with Lord Justice Fulford and Judge Richard Marks QC, said: "In our view, the crown court judge was fully entitled to reach the conclusion he did in relation to sentence."