'Predatory' rapist jailed for 14 years for attacks on four women

A man who preyed on four vulnerable women over a decade has been jailed for 14 years.

Barry Ingleson, from Newington in Edinburgh, raped three of his victims and attempted to sexually assault a fourth. He threatened two of the women and was physically violent to one.

The 38-year-old had denied the charges, insisting he was "loving and caring" towards women.

But a judge said his crimes were "opportunistic and predatory".

Ingleson was found guilty after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court heard that one of his victims had a bag pulled over her head and a mask placed over her mouth during one attack, which left her unconscious.

'Dismissive of victims'

The crimes occurred at different addresses in the the Moredun area of Edinburgh and at a hotel in the city's York Place between 2009 and 2020.

During sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Arthurson told Ingleson he had carried out offences of "great enormity".

The judge described one of the victims as "extremely vulnerable" and said: "Her evidence must have been especially difficult for the jury to observe."

He told Ingleson: "Your offending was both opportunistic and predatory.

"It is noted [in the pre-sentencing report] that you are dismissive of your victims and your offending while accepting no responsibility."

Ingleson - who already had a string of previous convictions - will be supervised for a further four years on his release.

Lili Prais, defending, had earlier told the court that Ingleson continued to deny the charges.