A man who broke into a house, took a teenage girl from her bedroom and raped her in nearby bushland over 20 years ago has had an appeal against his conviction quashed.

Patrick Alfred Merritt, formerly known as Patrick Alfred Comeagain, was sentenced in 2018 after he pleaded guilty in relation to eight separate charges over the 1994 crime on the first scheduled day of his trial.

Patrick Alfred Comeagain was due to stand trial but pleaded guilty this morning.

The WA Court of Appeal heard Merritt – then 21 – had been living in Geraldton on November 3, 1994 when he broke into the house of a 13-year-old girl, who was at home with her sister.

With material over his face to conceal his identity, he went to the young girl’s bedroom and grabbed her by the back of the head.