A former police officer has been jailed for raping and sexually abusing three women.

David Cunningham, from Farr in Inverness, has been jailed for 14 years after a catalogue of abuse.

The 60-year-old raped one of his victims nightly between January 2005 and June 2008.

On various occasions between January 2007 and June 2008, he assaulted her as she slept and forced her outside in her underwear in bad weather and refused to let her back in.

The father raped another woman once or twice a week between December 2000 and April 2004.

His third victim was sexually abused between June 2011 and October 20014 and on one occasion in September 2012 he choked her so violently she feared she was going to be strangled.

All the offences were committed at various addresses in Inverness-shire.

Lord Armstrong told Cunningham: "For three years you repeatedly raped one woman one or two times a week. You raped another woman over a three and a half year period and you did so on a nightly basis.

"You sexually assaulted your third victim. Your conduct was for your sexual gratification and was controlling and coercive.

"All the woman say in their victim impact statement that what you did has had a significant and lasting detrimental effect on them. You appear to lack any remorse."

Defence counsel Jennifer Bain said: "Mr Cunningham was found guilty after trial. His position at trial was one of denial, but he now accepts there are aspects of his behaviour that he should be questioning.

"He is in a long-term relationship and his partner is standing by him and he has the support of friends and ex-colleagues.

"Mr Cunningham has worked since leaving school. He started as a cadet and then a police constable and his early twenties and then went into farm management."

Cunningham was placed on the sex offenders' register.