A MAN who raped five women and sexually abused a sixth has been jailed for life.

Jonathon Mallon, 32, was told by judge Bill Dunlop, QC, that he must spend at least 10 years behind bars before being able to apply for parole.

However, the judge added: "You may never be released and the prospects are that you will be in custody for a very long time indeed."

Mallon was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of carrying out a campaign of terror against the women over a 14-year period between 1999 and 2013.

He raped one of his victims in a cinema toilet and another in a changing cubicle at a busy swimming pool.

Mallon was convicted of the rapes, sexual abuse and domestic abuse after a lengthy trial.

Two of his rape victims are now 31 and the others 21, 25 and 26. His sex abuse victim is 27. All of his victims were vulnerable.

Judge Dunlop told Mallon: "This was a course of conduct that can only be described as monstrous.

"It's clear that you saw women who were vulnerable and ruthlessly exploited them for your own sexual gratification.

"The evidence all spoke of you meeting them, and at first you charmed them, then very quickly became controlling."

Judge Dunlop said that Mallon's victims had been left devastated by what he did to them.

He added: "The distress of your victims at the time must have become obvious to you and you simply ignored that."

Prosecutor Kath Harper told the court Mallon has previous convictions for domestic abuse, violence, carrying a knife and fire raising.

Mallon met two of his victims at church, another on a bus and the others at parties.

He was described by one of his former girlfriends as a Jekyll and Hyde character.

She told the court how he pestered her for sex when she had become pregnant again after a miscarriage. When she said no he slapped her and accused her of teasing him.

The woman sobbed as she spoke of the rape and said: "He always said 'you know what will happen if you don't let me'. He was always threatening to hit me. But it's easier to cover up rape than a black eye."

The 26-year-old said that on one occasion Mallon raped her in a cubicle at Scotstoun swimming baths while families with young children were nearby.

She told the court: "He decided to rape me in the cubicle. The place was really full of kids. "I said no and he told me: 'You know what will happen, don't create a scene.' I said 'you can't, not here,' and he just told me to shut up.

"Afterwards he said: 'do you know what I've just done to you? I've raped you.' It kind of looked like he was gloating."

One of Mallon's other victims, who is 21, said he would demand sex two or three times every day and added: "If I said I didn't want sex he just didn't listen. I would try to push him away, but he was just too strong. Afterwards he would say sorry."

Advocate depute Kath Harper, prosecuting, said: "When he had sex when you didn't want to how did that make you feel?" She replied: "Sad, upset, angry, very emotional."

In evidence, Mallon denied all the allegations and claimed that any sex was consensual.

He was asked why these women should make up stories and said: "I don't know. I don't have an answer." He added: "I would not have shown aggressive behaviour."

Detective Inspector Mark McGowan, the policeman who led the investigation, said: "Hopefully we have given these women justice.

"Mallon is a calculating individual who preyed on the vulnerability of his victims. First luring them into a relationship and then carrying out horrific acts on each and every one of them."

Defence QC Frances McMenamin said Mallon had suffered a horrific childhood and had been the victim of violence himself.