A PREDATORY sex fiend who raped two young women and a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.

Kenneth Bright, 35, targeted his vulnerable victims at flats in Johnstone, Paisley and Glasgow.

All three suffered rape ordeals while they were under the influence and incapable of consenting to sex.

Sentencing Bright to seven years behind bars at the High Court in Edinburgh today, judge Lord Tyre told him: "Each, for their own reasons, was a vulnerable individual in need of help."

Bright had denied a string of charges during an earlier trial but was found guilty of raping all three victims.

The first offence took place at a flat in the Bellahouston area of Glasgow on February 25, 2014.

Bright sexually assaulted and raped the woman while she was asleep and under the influence of drink or another substance, as well as after she woke up.

He subjected a second sleeping woman, who was also under the influence, to a rape attack at a flat in Johnstone in September 2019.

His third victim was a 14-year-old girl, who was subjected to a sex act and rape after she fell asleep at a flat in Paisley in February 2020 while she was under the influence.

Defence solicitor advocate Paul Mullen said Bright's position remained the same as at trial but he accepted that he faced a "lengthy sentence" after the guilty verdicts were returned by a jury.

Lord Tyre pointed out that, although these were Bright's first convictions for sex crimes, he has a long history of previous offending.

The court also heard he was assessed as posing a medium risk of sexual re-offending.

Lord Tyre said he was concerned at the lack of understanding on Bright's part on the drastic effect his actions may have had on the victims.

As well as imposing the prison sentence, he ordered that the rapist and former robber should be under supervision and monitored for a further three-year period.

Bright has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Police Scotland said it welcomed the sentencing of Bright.

Detective Inspector Allan Kelly added: "Bright preyed on women, including a 14-year-old girl, and escaped justice for a number of years, and I commend them for coming forward with such courage.

"Bright has now been jailed and I particularly welcome him being put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

"Detectives want to let perpetrators of this kind of crime know that their behaviour will not be tolerated and Police Scotland will always investigate reports of a sexual nature, no matter when the offence happened, in a professional and sensitive manner."