A VALLEYS man has been found guilty of four counts of rape and one sexual assault of an underage girl over several years.

Hywel Edwards, aged 23, of Blaencuffin Road in Llanhilleth, appeared in Merthyr Crown Court yesterday as the jury returned their majority verdict after more than five hours of deliberating.

Edwards pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one further count of sexual assault. Yesterday a jury found him guilty of all charges except one rape.

Prosecutor Nicholas Gareth Jones said the first offence took place in 2007 when the complainant was a young teenager.

Earlier this week the court heard how the defendant, who was arrested in September 2013, carried out separate rapes on various occasions.

The complainant told police she felt "physically sick" and was "nervous around everybody" following the assaults.

In questioning, Edwards denied the allegations and stated that he has never had any sort of sexual interaction with the complainant.

Mr Jones said in the first offence the complainant said she said “no” but the defendant carried on. Edwards told her it would not hurt and it would not take long. Afterwards he told her not to tell anyone The court heard how a family friend said the complainant told her what happened, but she didn't take it any further.

The prosecution said as she kept quiet, the defendant used this knowledge to carry out further rapes on the complainant.

According to the complainant's evidence, Edwards also sent her text messages afterwards saying he enjoyed himself.

A woman in the public gallery sobbed as the verdict, which was a majority of 10 to 2, was read out yesterday.

Edwards will be sentenced in due course after a pre-sentence report is prepared.