A MAN who sexually abused three women over a decade has been jailed for five years.

Colin MacDonald, 45, was 11 years old when he targeted his first victim, who was 10 years old, at an address in Fort William.

The High Court in ­Edinburgh heard how he raped the young girl and sexually abused her over a six-year period in locations in Fort William and Inverness.

He also sexually assaulted a girl between 1981 and 1983 at an address in Fort William. She was just nine-years-old at the time the attacks started.

Between August 1988 and August 1991, MacDonald repeatedly abused another girl at an address in the Oban area.

MacDonald was finally caught after his victims plucked up enough courage to contact police about their horrific ordeal.

The story emerged after MacDonald, of 88 Potterhill Gardens, Perth, was found guilty last month by jury of sexual assault charges before judge Lord Jones.