A paedophile has been jailed after raping an eight-year-old girl and sexually abusing four others in the Highlands in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Alexander Kemp was caught after one of his victims came forward when she became a mother.

She went to police in 2015 and Kemp's other victims were traced and agreed to give evidence against him.

During the trial, the woman told the court: "The more I looked at looked at her little face, the more I realised that people like me keeping quiet made the world a worse place."

The 64-year-old had denied all the offences, which took place in Sutherland between 1988 and 1992, and said the women were making up lies.

Sentencing him to ten years in jail at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, judge Norman Ritchie said: "You, sir, are a contemptible man who has damaged lives beyond measure.

"The evidence against you was overwhelming. It was also very moving and it was upsetting. For fleeting sexual pleasure you have damaged the lives of these young women.

"These women were strong. It is a testament to their character they made their complaints and gave evidence against you."

Kemp raped one of his victims when she was aged eight. He also sexually abused her and four other girls.

He was run out of a Highland town in 1992 after being convicted of having indecent images of children.

The word "pervert" was daubed on his home and public outrage forced him to flee.

The court heard that in 1998 he was jailed for 11 years at York Crown Court for raping girls under 16 and sexually abusing girls under 14.

He was caught then after an appeal was broadcast on the BBC's Crimewatch programme in 1997.

Kemp was also jailed in 2010 at Hull Magistrates Court for 15 counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Defence counsel Derick Nelson said: "He is unemployed due to ill-health and has been living in England for some years."

Kemp was placed on the sex offenders register.