Muskingum County Common Pleas Court
The Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, where Sean Payton admitted two counts of rape. Google Streetview

An Ohio man has pleaded guilty to the rape of 10-year-old girl and her mother who allegedly ignored her child's claims that the pervert had sexually abused her just three months earlier.

Sean Payton, of Zanesville, pleaded guilty on Friday (27 October) to two counts of rape at Muskingum County Common Pleas Court.

The 34-year-old now faces a maximum of life imprisonment for the rape of a child and 11 years in prison for the rape of her mother.

The Zanesville Times Recorder reported that prosecutors in Muskingum County believe that the girl had contacted a neighbour in June earlier this year to tell them about being sexually assaulted by Payton.

Assistant Muskingum County Prosecutor John Litle said the girl's mother dismissed the child's claim before she told the neighbour "please get my mother to believe me".

Litle said that on one occasion the neighbour heard Payton arguing with the child with the defendant telling her that she could go to jail for the way she was acting.

The child replied "you could go to jail for what you're doing to me," Litle said.

The prosecutor also alluded to psychological abuse suffered by the child who allegedly said Payton told her she would get into trouble if she reported the abuse to police.

It was alleged by the neighbour that Payton may have obtained a video of her consenting to the abuse.

In response to the child's claims Litle said that the neighbour told the child's mother about their discussions, but she failed to contact authorities, so the neighbour called police herself.

According to the Associated Press (AP) Litle said Payton raped the mother three months later, in August, while her daughter's rape was being investigated.

Payton allegedly turned up at his victim's home and locked himself and the girl's mother in a room where he raped her until police arrived after they were called by another occupant of the house.

Payton's sentencing for the first-degree felonies will be scheduled for a later date.