A child rapist abused two girls for more than a decade in a "horrific catalogue of abuse".

John Allan, 46, preyed on the girls from the ages of three and four and continued over a 13-year period.

Allan admitted he "terrorised" one victim by assaulting her with a cane.

A judge told Allan at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had pled guilty to offences which amounted to "a horrific catalogue of abuse".

Jailing Alan for nine years, Lord Boyd of Duncansby said he would order Allan be under supervision for a further four years because he posed a risk to children.

Allan earlier admitted six charges of indecent behaviour, sexual assault and rape committed at houses in Barrhead, Renfrewshire, and an Argyllshire village between 2003 and last year.

Allan was caught after one victim confided in school friends. She then told one of the children's mothers and police were called in.

He told officers he had done things to the girls "that should never have happened to them."

Defence counsel Tony Graham said: "Perhaps the best thing that can be said of him is that he recognised his guilt and instructed pleas of guilty be tendered."

Lord Boyd told Allan he would have jailed him for ten years if he had been convicted of the offences in a trial.

Allan was told he would be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.