A THUG is behind bars for the "merciless" abuse of a woman and boy.

Kenneth Quinn was convicted of the attacks spanning four decades.

The pair regularly suffered at the 49-year-old's violent hands including the repeated rape of the woman.

Quinn admitted to jurors that he was "utterly ashamed" of himself.

He accepted physically harming both - but insisted the sex attacks did not happen.

However, Quinn was convicted of a total of 10 charges following a harrowing trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

This included two counts of repeatedly raping the woman, assaulting her to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement as well as engaging in abusive behaviour.

He was further guilty of physically attacking the boy to his injury on various occasions.

The crimes occurred between 1994 and 2021 at different addresses.

Quinn, of Elderslie, had been on bail during the trial.

But, he was remanded in custody by judge Lady Stacey pending sentencing.

Jurors heard how Quinn first assaulted the woman in the 1990s.

The attacks then occurred "so often" it ended up difficult to say exactly when they happened.

The physical abuse involved him smacking the victim with a dog lead and shoes as well as kicking her down stairs, booting her on the body and chucking food at her.

The woman also suffered a broken arm. The trial heard how the victim - who was humiliated and degraded - would often beg him to stop.

Describing one incident which left the victim scarred for life, prosecutor Greg Farrell put to him: "She said that you held her in place with one hand and used a bank card in the other to strike her repeatedly on the face."

Quinn replied: "That is a lie."

Mr Farrell said the woman especially was "terrorised".

The advocate depute added: "It was a relentless course of violence by you. It was merciless."

Quinn replied: "It was bad."

Mr Farrell added: "It was more than bad."

Quinn then stated at one stage: "I am here to accept my failings as an individual."

But, although he accepted much of the violence, Quinn denied any sexual abuse.

He insisted he was "100% respectful" if the woman did not want sex.

The court heard, however, that he hung his head in shame and confessed to raping the woman when confronted.

Mr Farrell said: "You maintain that (the boy) is lying when he heard you admit to raping the woman?"

Quinn replied: "Both of them are lying."

The trial heard how the boy was also thrown down stairs, grabbed by the hair, flung to the ground and slapped on the head.

Quinn's lawyer Euan Gosney asked him during his evidence: "Anything that you would like to say about the repeated violence?"

A sobbing Quinn replied: "I am utterly ashamed of myself. I am sorry to the bottom of my heart."

Sentencing was adjourned for reports.