A HIGH-risk sex offender who subjected two women to abuse before going on to rape one of the victims was jailed for six years today.

Paul McFadyen, formerly of Park Bank, Erskine, directed sexual and offensive comments towards the younger women and molested them as he preyed on them at an Ayrshire community centre.

But the 61-year-old went on to carry out a serious indecent assault on one victim in a vehicle at an industrial estate in Ayrshire and to rape her in a car parked at a layby in Johnstone, between June 2004 and December in 2006.

A judge told McFadyen at the High Court in Edinburgh that a background report prepared on him "finds you to be a high risk of further sexual offending".

Lady Poole said: "You behaved appallingly to both of them."

The judge said it was clear from reading victim impact statements that his actions had long-term and serious impacts.

McFadyen has also subsequently offended, including attempting to induce teenagers into his car, the court heard.

Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said: "He has lost everything. He has lost his reputation. He has lost his home. He has lost his liberty."

Ms Livingstone said that he was "hounded out" of a previous address by a vigilante group and told the court that he continued to maintain his innocence of the offences that led to his High Court conviction.

McFadyen denied a series of charges during a trial last year but was convicted of five offences - one of rape, three of indecent assault and a breach of the peace. All of the offending occurred between July 2003 and December 2006.

After the jury returned its guilty verdicts McFadyen began clapping during an outburst in the courtroom and proceedings were brought to an end in his absence.

The court heard that McFadyen targeted the women for offensive remarks and molested them.

Advocate depute Donald Davidson KC said he started off making sexualised, inappropriate remarks but his behaviour escalated into grabbing, gripping and bottom pinching before going on to commit penetrative assaults.

The prosecutor said he seemed to find "some sort of sexual thrill or perverse pleasure in humiliating young women".

Lady Poole rejected a defence motion to adjourn sentencing of McFadyen for a further report during today's hearing and said she had sufficient material before and considered it was just and fair to proceed.

Ms Livingstone said there was "a genuine mood of suicide" with him against a background of mental health problems.

Before sentencing McFadyen by a video link to prison, Lady Poole read out an excerpt from a report on him which expressed concerns about self-harm and suicide and ascertained that was heard by staff.

The judge ordered that McFadyen should be under supervision for a further three-year period following his jail term when he will be under licence and can be returned to prison if he breaches conditions.

She imposed non-harassment orders banning him from contacting or attempting to contact the victims for 20 years and he was placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

If you're struggling, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123.