AN ex-baptist minister, magistrate and school governor has admitted 13 counts of sexually abusing boys over the course of more than two decades.

Robert Dando, of no fixed abode, appeared at Oxford Crown Court today to admit four counts of sexual activity with a child on numerous occasions over a period lasting 24 years.

At an earlier hearing on October 31, the 53-year old admitted eight further counts of indecent assault and another of sexual assault of a child under 13.

The offences relate to numerous instances of sexual abuse carried out between February 1 1985 and September 8 2009 on seven victims.

The male victims, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, were all aged between 10 and 15 at the time.

Dando was previously jailed in July 2011 for eight years after a US investigation following a complaint from a 21-year old that he had abused him between 1995 and 1999, while aged between eight and 13.

During that investigation, a second victim also came forward and said that Dando had abused him when he was aged between seven and eight.

Dando was arrested for the latest offending in August last year before appearing before Banbury Magistrates’ Court.

In Oxfordshire, Dando was a senior minister at Orchard Baptist Church in Bicester as well as a former Oxfordshire magistrate.

He was also previously a governor at Kings Meadow School, Bicester as well as serving as a minister at Worcester Park Baptist Church, in London.

Today's hearing was adjourned and Dando will be sentenced at the same court at a two-hour hearing on March 22 after a pre-sentence repot and psychiatric report is prepared.