A FORMER church bus driver had his prison sentence for sexually abusing young girls increased to 13 years at Bradford Crown Court after admitting five further similar offences.

Tony Mitchell was jailed for 11 years in October 2015 for raping a child of 11 and molesting five more girls, aged between seven and 13.

Mitchell, 47, formerly of Idlethorp Way, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, was brought back to court from prison to have his jail term increased by two years.

He pleaded guilty to inciting two little girls to touch one another indecently, inciting a child to touch him indecently and two offences of sexually assaulting a girl under 13.

Prosecutor Stephen Wood said Mitchell's victims were aged six or seven at the time.

Mitchell sat in the dock weeping, with his head buried in his hands, as Mr Wood read out victim impact statements from the two children.

One said he was a bad man who should go to jail while the second said he had made her feel devastated and angry.

The court heard Mitchell was regretful and remorseful.

His mother was gravely ill and he would not be able to care for her at the end of her life.

When Mitchell was jailed for 11 years, the sentencing judge said he was guilty of "a campaign of sexual abuse" against six young girls.

He was working as a volunteer bus driver for the Church on the Way in Bradford Road, Idle, when the offences came to light.

Social Services told the pastor that sexual allegations had been made against Mitchell and he stopped driving the bus.

He sought counselling at the church where he was told that if he did not go to the police, it would report him.

Mitchell handed himself in and confessed to what he had done.

Jailing Mitchell for two years to run consecutively with sentence he is serving, Judge Jonathan Rose said he was guilty of "the most appalling and depraved behaviour with very small children."

Although Mitchell was genuinely remorseful, it was too late to undo the damage he had done.

But he had been frank and open with the police and admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity.

"There is much in your early life that has had a negative impact on you," Judge Rose said, after hearing that Mitchell had suffered abuse as a child.

He was already subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect children from him in the future.