Alastair Nicolson was found guilty of a catalogue of offences following a trial at the High Court in Inverness on May 22.

The crimes took place between January 1991 and April 2001 in the Highland and Argyll and Bute areas. The 55-year-old subjected one woman to repeated beatings.

He would pull her hair, punch her in the head, call her derogatory names and threaten her with a knife, hammer, and scissors. The court also heard how he struck her on the body with a fire poker and a coal bucket before choking her.

Nicolson was also convicted of raping a woman on various occasions. He was found to have used lewd, indecent, and libidinous practices and behaviour towards a young girl.

He then raped the child, who was under the age of 16. The abuser violently assaulted a third female including seizing her by the neck and threatening to hit her.

His fourth victim was repeatedly punched and kicked. He stubbed a cigarette out on her body, head butted her and slapped her on the face. During a separate attack, Nicolson broke the woman’s tooth, caused her to fall to the ground, stamped on her head and threatened to kill her.

At the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, he was jailed for 14 years. His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. Non-harassment orders preventing Nicolson from contacting or attempting to contact three victims were also granted indefinitely.