Christopher Harkins targeted single women on dating websites, quickly befriending them and gaining their trust.

The 37-year-old portrayed himself as a successful businessman before claiming to be experiencing issues with his bank account being frozen. He then asked some of his victims to lend him money for a short period of time. Several women borrowed significant sums in order to help him.

Harkins, from Helensburgh, also persuaded a number of the women to transfer him money for holidays, sending them screenshots of alleged destinations. He persuaded them to pay for half the cost but never booked the trips away and failed to return the majority of the funds given to him.

He pleaded guilty to the fraud charges at the High Court in Glasgow on January 16.

Following a trial at the High Court in Paisley in May, Harkins was subsequently found guilty of raping one former partner. He was also convicted of filming two women in intimate situations without their consent before sending them the graphic content.

Harkins’ offending took place between 2013 and 2019 in the Airdrie, Cumbernauld, Dumbarton, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paisley and Stirling areas.

Yesterday, at the High Court in Kilmarnock, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Non-harassment orders, preventing Harkins from contacting or attempting to contact 10 victims, have also been granted for an indefinite period.