  A search for heavy long-lived multi-charged particles is performed using the
ATLAS detector at the LHC. Data collected in 2012 at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV from $pp$
collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $20.3$ fb$^{-1}$ are
examined. Particles producing anomalously high ionisation, consistent with
long-lived massive particles with electric charges from $|q|=2e$ to $|q|=6e$
are searched for. No signal candidate events are observed, and 95\% confidence
level cross-section upper limits are interpreted as lower mass limits for a
Drell--Yan production model. The mass limits range between 660 and 785 GeV.
