A CLYDEBANK rapist who inflicted a catalogue of hurt, misery and degradation on women was jailed for nine years today after treating victims like "a cat playing with a mouse".

Kevin Adair carried out a campaign of violence towards women spanning a decade which ended with the rape of a victim who was blackmailed over intimate photographs.

A judge told Adair, 34, at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You were, are and will remain a danger to any woman with whom you have a relationship and perhaps women at large."

Michael O'Grady QC said: "I therefore require not only to punish you for the hurt, misery and degradation you have visited upon the complainers but also, so far as this court can, to afford some measure of protection to women who may encounter you in the future, albeit the distant future."

The judge imposed a further six year term on Adair when he will be under supervision and on licence.

He told Adair: "This in my view is necessary given the risk you represent."

Judge O'Grady said that a background report prepared on the rapist revealed that he accepted little responsibility for his crimes and showed "neither insight nor remorse".

Adair, formerly of Stewart Street, Dalmuir, assaulted five women and subjected two to sex attacks, including rape, between 2004 and 2014.

His first victim was flicked and punched on the face by him and molested on various occasion before being subjected to a serious indecent assault at a house in Dumbarton, a week before Christmas in 2007 during which he restrained her.

During an earlier trial when he denied a string of charges, the court heard that Adair called her names and checked her intimately to make sure she was not cheating on him.

He was described as a "very controlling" man but one who could also be "very charming".

Another woman was headbutted and kicked on the body in an attack in Dumbarton in 2005.

The sex abuser hounded a third victim, bombarding her with texts checking on her whereabouts and attacked her at a flat in Helensburgh, in 2011. He pushed her on the body resulting in her falling down stairs.

A fourth victim was subjected to assaults by Adair at addresses in Greenock. She was punched in the face while she held a baby and was grabbed by the throat and pinned against a wall and slapped and kicked.

Jurors heard that the scared woman lied to the police and a midwife to cover up her ordeal at the hands of Adair.

Adair subjected his last victim to a rape ordeal at a flat in Greenock days before Christmas in 2014 when he took off her clothing and carried out sex acts on her.

He told the woman that he would not delete naked photos of her from his mobile phone unless she had intercourse with him.

Prosecutor Duncan McPhie told jurors: "She understood that he had photographs of her – compromising photographs. She told you that she had sex with Adair only in return for him deleting them from his phone. You might think that he had a hold over her because of these photographs."

Judge O'Grady said: "In some aspects of his behaviour it was akin to watching a cat playing with a mouse."

Defence counsel Mark Stewart QC said Adair had never previously served a prison sentence and added: "He understands the court will impose a substantial custodial sentence."

Adair was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Following the case, Detective Sergeant Iain Renfrew from the Domestic Abuse Taskforce (West) said: “Kevin Adair is an extremely dangerous individual who poses a real threat to women.

“He subjected five former partners to horrific abuse and it is only as a result of their bravery that he is finally facing the consequences of his actions.

“I would like to thank the victims for coming forward and helping us unravel the true extent of Adair’s crimes and helping us ensure he is not free to harm other women.

“Adair may have thought he was untouchable and that none of his victims would ever have the courage to speak out – but he was very wrong. With the support of our specialist officers in the Domestic Abuse Taskforce and other services, they stood up and testified against him in court and helped bring us to today’s conclusion.

“I would urge anyone suffering domestic abuse, or who may have concerns about a friend or family member, to contact Police Scotland via 101 and we will do everything in our power to bring perpetrators to justice.”