A predator who raped two women and sexually assaulted two others believed he was entitled to act the way he did, a judge has said.

Neil Ireland committed attacks in Cupar, Leven and Methil - including raping a woman while she was in bed with her baby daughter - over a seven-year period.

The 39-year-old thought his victims would not testify against him but several gave evidence at the High Court in Dunfermline, where he was convicted last month.

Sentencing him to ten years in jail on Wednesday, Lord Uist said Ireland had "befriended and exploited vulnerable women" and showed no remorse or regret.

The judge said Ireland portrayed himself as a victim, telling him: "It was clear to me that you considered that you were entitled to act as you did and that you have shown no remorse or regret.

"You must now appreciate the gravity of the crimes of which you have been convicted and I hope that at some point you will come to acknowledge and perhaps even understand the very damaging effect which your crimes have had on your female victims.

"Today you have to pay the price for your criminal conduct."

During Ireland's trial, one woman said she had fallen asleep with her daughter lying on her arm and woke to find him getting into her bed.

She said: "I tried to get up but he held me down. He tried to pull down my pyjama bottoms and I told him to stop.

"He told me I better be quiet so I didn't wake up my daughter."

Another woman told the court she had regarded Ireland as a friend but repeatedly told him she did not want a physical relationship.

"I thought he was my friend. He turned out to be a complete monster," she added.

Following his conviction, detective inspector Jim Leeson praised the courage of Ireland's victims.

"Neil Ireland is a sexual predator who targeted vulnerable women he calculated would not speak out against him," he said.

"It is thanks to their courage in coming forward and testifying against him that we have secured this conviction."

"Although nothing can undo the evil actions of Neil Ireland, I hope this conviction will bring them some sense of closure," he added.