Serial rapist Gerard Porteous faces lengthy jail term
A serial rapist who abused three women in "the most vile and disgusting fashion" has been warned he faces a lengthy jail term.
Gerard Porteous, 56, denied a string of offences against the women during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
However a jury unanimously found him guilty of four charges of rape.
He was also convicted of assault with intent to rape and further charges of indecent assault, assault and behaviour causing fear and alarm.
Judge Michael O'Grady QC praised the women for giving evidence against their abuser before sending Porteous to prison.
"You have been convicted of an appalling course of conduct towards three self-evidently decent women," he said.
"You have used and abused and degraded them in the most vile and disgusting fashion.
"I commend them for the courage they have mustered in speaking up against you," said the judge.
The judge said that in contrast he considered Porteous to be "a bully, a coward and a deeply dangerous man".
He warned him he faced a jail term of "many years".
The crimes were committed between 1994 and 2013 in Airdrie and Paisley.
Following his conviction Porteous was placed on the sex offenders' register.