A sex offender has been jailed after exposing himself to women on ten occasions while wearing a balaclava and tights.

David Harvey was sentenced to 21 months in prison for the string of crimes committed between April 2014 and June 2015 in the Grange, Buckstone and Oxgangs areas of Edinburgh.

On each occasion the 50-year-old would approach victims, usually as they walked alone, before exposing himself to them.

His face would be covered with a balaclava and he would wear "women's tights" while committing the offences, a police spokesman said.

After a police investigation, Harvey was detained and charged before being found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of various sexual offences and breaches of the peace.

Detective chief inspector Alwyn Bell from the Public Protection Unit in Edinburgh said: "David Harvey committed these crimes during the early hours of the morning, in relatively secluded streets, which aided him in avoiding being caught, but also added to the fear and distress he instilled in his victims.

"He went to significant lengths to conceal his identity, but thanks to the evidence provided by the women he targeted and the painstaking investigation by the Public Protection Unit he was ultimately brought to justice.

"His arrest, conviction and subsequent sentence reflects our commitment to removing those responsible for sexual crimes from our communities and ensuring they cannot inflict further harm on the public."