A FORMER Royal Ballet star was warned to expect a long prison sentence after he admitted sexually abusing three young girls.

Stephen Beagley, 62, was told he faces a substantial prison term despite changing his plea to avoid a crown court trial.

The youngest of his three victims was only ten when she was abused by Beagley in the UK.

Other offences took place on the Spanish holiday island of Majorca.

The former dancer, who used to live in East Sussex, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity at an earlier hearing in June.

Lewes Crown Court heard on Monday that he changed his plea to guilty on another two charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault of a child under 13.

Sophie Shotton, for the Crown, asked for another four charges of sexual assault on young girls to be left on file.

Beagley, from Gravesend in Kent, leaned forward in the dock to hear Her Honour Judge Christine Laing QC tell him: “Having now pleaded guilty, custody is inevitable and likely to be quite substantial.”

He was remanded until a sentencing hearing next month.

Beagley’s offending started in 1997 and carried on until 2018.

He joined the Royal Ballet as a teenager and rose to became principal dancer.

He was a dance instructor and choreographer for 25 years and was one of Britain’s leading classical dancers in the 1970s and 1980s, appearing as the lead in Cats.

He also starred in a production of the Rocky Horror Show and appeared alongside Freddie Mercury, Joan Collins and Wayne Sleep.

He taught dance in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New Zealand and Japan.

Beagley, wearing a grey shirt and grey V-neck jumper, spoke only to confirm his name and the three new guilty pleas.

He will be sentenced on November 1.

Detective Sergeant John Steven of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: “This investigation of historic allegations was carried out by experienced detectives, working alongside the victims in this case with the support of partner agencies.

“Beagley was a trusted and well known man in his local community in East Sussex, and around the world in performing and teaching ballet.

“He targeted the young girls he came into contact with, and abused them while they were at their most vulnerable, over many years. I am glad that the victims had the courage, strength and commitment to come forward and remain resilient.”