A karate instructor is today beginning a 14-year jail term after carrying out a string of vile sex attacks on a 13-year-old pupil.

Paul Rudwick, who has starred in a string of karate videos aimed at children, befriended his victim and her family before destroying their trust during the two year ordeal.

The 43-year-old blackbelt, from Seaton Park, Littlehampton, first began preying on the girl, now 16, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, after she attended his martial arts lessons.

Then during a reign of terror between 2004 and 2006 Rudwick forced her to have sex with him and even made her perform a sex act while other children watched.

Today at Chichester Crown Court Rudwick sat impassively as the jury took less than three hours to return unanimous guilty verdicts on 12 counts of rape, indecent assault, having sex with a child, actual bodily harm and intimidating a witness.

Shouts of "thank you" and "you'll get what you deserve in jail" were heard from the public gallery where the girl and her family sat.

Dressed in a black suit and tie with slicked back hair, Rudwick sat impassively as the string of verdicts were read out.

Speaking afterwards, the girl's parents said: "It has been a horrendous ordeal, we can't thank the police enough for the work they have done to catch this vile man."

Crucial to securing the conviction of the rapist was DNA found on numerous condoms inside Rudwick's home, police said.

Material belonging to the victim was found on the outside of the contraceptives while semen belonging to Rudwick was found on the inside.

During the three week trial, the girl told the court that Rudwick made her have sex with him five or six times a week, often after picking her up from school.

She explained how Rudwick would take the girl to Goring Gap in Worthing: "He made me bend over and then had sex with me.

"He told me if I told anyone he would hit me or he would kill himself because his life would not be worth living any more without me.

"He started to put his hands down my trousers and touched me. I pulled my trousers up but he told me we must have sex.

"He was saying I was being manipulative not having sex with him and was saying he had not had sex for a long time.

"He said I had to reward him for all the things he had given me and told me not to tell anyone after we had sex."

Rudwick also punched and slapped his victim repeatedly on occasions and told one witness in the case that he would beat him up unless he dropped his testimony.

The instructor has taught at schools including Davison High School in Worthing and Windlesham House School, near Ashington.

He also held classes at Angmering Village Hall and Goring Methodist Church in Worthing.

Before sentencing him, Judge William Wood QC said: "She was entitled to trust you but you betrayed that trust."

Speaking after the case Detective Constable Tim Hughes, of Sussex Police, praised the girl and her family for their courage.

He said: "They have stayed immensely strong throughout."