A man charged with 173 counts of rape and sexual assault of three young children over the course of a decade has been given a 15 year sentence.

The 61-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his victims, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to all offences committed at various locations between 2001 and 2010.

The court heard that the sexual abuse began when each of the three siblings reached the age of six or seven.

The man was in a relationship with the children's mother.