A man who filmed himself raping a five-year-old girl has been jailed.

William Rigby, 53 preyed on the child while he was babysitting her on October 11, last year, at a house in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute.

He pled guilty to sexually assaulting and raping the child and to earlier abusing two other girls.

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Stacey placed Rigby on an order for lifelong restriction - similar to a life sentence - and ordered that the punishment part should be seven years.

She told Rigby: "That does not mean you will be released then. It may be you are never released.

"You will be in prison until there is any hope of you not being a danger to young girls."

Lady Stacey added: "You are guilty of a horrible catalogue of offences. What you did was betray the trust of a family and what you did harmed these children.

"You present a risk to the public and are likely to continue to do so even after work is done with you

The court heard earlier that the sobbing young girl who was raped told her mother what had happened when she returned home around midnight.

When the mother confronted Rigby, he claimed that the child had misunderstood what had taken place.

He left the house after stating to the woman: "I am sorry if she misunderstood what happened."

Rigby, however, was later held by police. His mobile phone was seized and a series of video clips of him with the girl were found.

Prosecutor Margaret Barron told the court this included him raping the child. A further 34 indecent images of children were also discovered.

Rigby later told police that he should be "punished" for what happened. An investigation revealed he had preyed on two others girls between 2006 and 2018.

One was aged four when the abuse began, the other was six.

Rigby admitted to charges of indecent and sexual assault in connection with the girls.

Solicitor advocate Douglas Thomson, defending, said: "He now recognises there was manipulation of the children and his actions will have consequences for them for many years to come.

"When he is released into the community, if ever, he will be monitored and subject to the most stringent conditions."

Detective inspector Steve Martin, of the Public Protection Unit, said: "The abuse displayed by Rigby towards his victims was horrific and some of the worst my officers have seen.

"I want to praise the courage and strength shown by all of the victims. The account of the youngest victim led us to two other victims and the arrest of William Rigby.

"If you or anyone you know has been a victim of abuse or wishes to report abuse you should feel confident in reporting to Police Scotland.

"We would ask anyone who has concerns or information about any person who may pose a risk to children or who may have abused a child to contact us on 101."