Gavin McKay protested his innocence but was found guilty of 20 crimes over a 25-year period, including multiple rapes and behaving in a controlling and coercive way towards his victims.

The 44-year-old - who began offending at the age of 16 - would use threats of suicide and cutting his wrists in order to get his own way.

He repeatedly hit one victim with a belt - pulling the woman's hair, seizing her by the face and throttling her during a repeated campaign of violence.

A second woman was handcuffed and locked in a room as she was assaulted and raped. McKay also threatened to upload intimate images of her on to social media and made threats to steal her dog.

A third woman was sexually assaulted and raped by McKay - and was pushed, punched, slapped and kicked. She was also struck on the face with a mobile phone and hit on the head with a curtain pole.

A fourth woman was subjected to a four-year campaign of stalking, during which McKay repeatedly turned up at her workplace and home and called and sent her text messages. McKay threatened to kill himself and made threats to kill and to damage her car. He also stole her phone.

The offences occurred in Fife between 1995 and 2020.

McKay was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh following an earlier trial.

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Judge Lord Scott said: "Despite overwhelming evidence, you maintain that you have been set up by people who have all told lies about you.

"That account was of course rejected by the jury and I proceed to sentence on the basis that you are unrepentant and lacking in any insight into the considerable damage that you have caused over many years."

Lord Scott imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction and stated that McKay must serve a minimum of six years in jail before becoming eligible for parole.

An assessment concluded that McKay presented a high risk towards the public, with the judge warning he may never get out of jail.

Lord Scott said: "Unless you work to address and reduce your risk, you may never be released."

The judge noted the victim impact statements and said they confirmed "the serious, continuing and likely lasting consequences of your conduct".

Lord Scott said: "One complainer explains the removal of her self-confidence because of you.

"Another describes existing in a life that is not hers anymore. A third complainer describes constantly looking over her shoulder."

Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said McKay had suffered adverse childhood experiences and tried to deal with his background by "taking drugs, driving cars too quickly and self-harming".

However, Lord Scott said: "It appears that you have suffered from insecurity, anxiety and low self-esteem.

"Some of that background may help to explain but, as rightly acknowledged by Mr Martin, does not excuse your attitudes and conduct which have involved taking over and ruining the lives of others, including removing their self-esteem and leaving them in continuing states of fear, anxiety and depression."

McKay was also added to the sex offenders' register indefinitely and handed non-harassment orders, prohibiting him from contacting the four complainers.

Following the court case, Detective Constable Sean Wesson said: "We acknowledge this Order for Lifelong Restriction and sentence for McKay who now faces the consequences of his deplorable behaviour.

"We remain fully committed to tackling sexual offences to ensure the safety of individuals and communities.

"There is no time limit on when you can report these crimes and a thorough investigation will always be conducted, no matter how long ago the incidents occurred.

"We will do all we can to bring perpetrators of such offences to justice."