A beggar who raped a woman as she stopped to offer help on a street has been handed a life sentence.

James Campbell, 32, admitted raping the 57-year-old woman in a lane between West Nile Street and Nelson Mandela Place in Glasgow.

Campbell, who lived with his mother in Paisley, Renfrewshire, was out begging on August 16, last year, in the city's Buchanan Street.

The woman noticed he was not wearing a top - although it was cold and raining.

She asked him if he was alright and chatted to him for about ten minutes before Campbell followed her and refused to go away.

As the woman walked past the lane, Campbell demanded a kiss before restraining her and raping her.

Campbell regularly begged in Buchanan Street and made up to £100 a day.

At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lady Stacey imposed an order for lifelong restriction - similar to a life sentence - on Campbell.

She told him: "I take the view you present a danger to the public.

"I saw a video of what happened. It was a very serious and violent rape against an older woman who only weighed about six stone."

Lady Stacey imposed a punishment part of three years but told Campbell: "In order to protect the public work needs to be done with you.

"There is no definite time at which you will be released. You will be seen by doctors and psychologists.

"As to when you are released that decision will not be taken by me, it will be taken by others."

Prosecutor Angela Gray said: "He told the woman: 'I love you. I want you to be my girlfriend' and she replied: 'Don't be daft. I don't even know you'."

The court heard the woman struggled with Campbell and repeatedly told him: "Please don't" and "there is no need for this."

Miss Gray added: "She repeatedly told him to stop and that he was hurting her. He did not stop and told her to shut up.

"A solicitor working in an office overlooking the lane saw the incident taking place and phoned the police."

Officers arrived to find Campbell raping the woman and dragged him off her.

Campbell, who has been in custody since August, last year, has been placed on the sex offenders' register.