A failed asylum seeker raped vulnerable young men in Glasgow city centre, a court heard today.

At the High Court in Glasgow 30-year-old Hissein Atie was convicted after trial of raping two men and indecently assaulting two others.

Atie, a security guard, prowled the streets of Glasgow looking for men to attack.

The offences were committed between January 25 and July 23, last year.

Atie, who arrived in Britain in 2000 from Chad in West Africa, was finally trapped by DNA evidence.

At the time of the last attack Atie, who had been granted bail from Glasgow Sheriff Court for police assault and alleged indecency six weeks earlier, was being sought by the Home Office who wanted to remove him from the country.

Prosecutor Dorothy Bain QC said of Atie: "He is a sexual predator and a complete and utter danger to the public.

"He can sense his victims' vulnerability and singles them out for attack. He uses violence. He is incapable of self control in sexual matters."

She added: "He is a citizen of Chad in West Africa, a failed asylum seeker and for him all rights of appeal have expired.

"At the time of the last offence the Home Office was seeking to have him removed from the country. A deportation notice has been served on him."

Atie's first victim was a 21-year-old man who was crying in Buchanan Street, Glasgow, on January 25, last year, after a blazing row with his partner.

Atie asked the man if he was alright before dragging him into Springfield Lane where he removed his trousers and forced him to repeatedly perform a sex act.

The man eventually managed to ran away and was later found by his partner curled up in a shop doorway and so distressed that he was unable to speak for five minutes.

Victim number two was found by police wandering the city centre streets on 13 May, last year, after being beaten and sodomised by Atie.

Atie took the 23-year-old man, who was upset after a row with his girlfriend, to a flat, forcibly removed his clothing and forced him to have sex.

Victim number three an 18-year-old managed to run away after Atie tried to kiss him and prevent him leaving his flat on June 1, last year.

Victim number four was offered accommodation for the night by Atie after he found him in George Square, Glasgow, upset and crying on July 25, last year.

Atie took the 23-year-old, who was very drunk, to his flat in Meadowpark Street, Glasgow.

The man woke up to find Atie raping him.

After his ordeal he managed to phone the police who arrived at the flat and arrested Atie.

The jury heard that Atie's DNA was recovered from one of his victims and from the underwear of another.

None of Atie's victims can be named for legal reasons.

After trial Atie was convicted of two charges of sodomony - male rape - and two charges of indecent assault.

He was also found guilty of police assault and breach of the peace In evidence Atie denied all the charges against him and claimed the DNA evidence had been planted on him.

He said: "They are telling lies. People are jealous about my house, my car and my job."

Temporary judge Ian Peebles QC deferred sentence on Atie for background reports and placed him on the sex offenders' register.

He told Atie: "I will be considering the matter of your deportation."

Solicitor advocate Paul Burns, defending, will give his plea in mitigation at the next court hearing.