A man who raped a schoolgirl and sexually assaulted two others almost 20 years ago has been jailed for seven years.

54-year-old John Marcellino from Tarbolton was convicted of the offences which took place at a house in Ayr between December 1998 and August 2000.

Judge Johanna Johnston QC told Marcellino: “You were convicted of a catalogue of sexual offending which took place when the complainers were young girls. The damage you have caused to them has been profound.”

Defence counsel Lorraine Glancy told the court that Marcellino continues to deny the charges against him.

She said: “He was, until a stroke a few years ago, a hard-working member of the community.”

Marcellino was placed on the sex offenders' register.