A VIOLENT rapist who subjected two women to sex attacks in their homes has been jailed for 12 years.

James Beck assaulted both of his victims, one in Helensburgh, to the danger of their lives and raped them in the attacks he perpetrated on them.

A judge told Beck that he had read victim impact statements from the women who suffered damaging effects from the abuse.

Lord Summers said one woman gave evidence of the "extreme violence" used on her by Beck.

The judge said that the other woman was attacked while in bed after Beck entered her home and subjected her to a violent rape.

Lord Summers said at the High Court in Edinburgh: "It must have been a terrifying experience for her."

Beck, 58, earlier denied a series of charges during a trial, but was found guilty of committing two rapes and two serious assaults by a jury at the High Court in Stirling.

He attacked his first victim at an address in a village near Airdrie and threatened to kill her.

Beck hurled plates of food and household objects at her and throttled the woman, restricting her breathing.

He also entered the woman's home uninvited on an occasion between January 1997 and September 1999 and dragged her from a bed and bound her wrists before molesting and raping her.

Beck raped the second woman at a house in Helensburgh on May 5 in 2005.

During the sex attack he restrained her and seized and bit her breasts and nipples.

The following day he assaulted the same victim by brandishing a knife and threatening her. He also grabbed her by the throat and strangled her and repeatedly hit her on the head with an ornament.

Defence counsel Janice Green said: "These are serious offences for which he expects to receive a significant sentence."

The court heard that a background report prepared on Beck suggested that he posed a high risk of sexual offending.

But the defence counsel said if his previous offending was looked at there was no evidence for a propensity for such serious crimes.

She said Beck started abusing substances at the age of 15 but was now a more mature man and while in prison has sought out drug counselling.

Lord Summers ordered that Beck should be under supervision for a further two year period when he can be returned to jail if he breaches licence conditions.

The judge made non harassment orders banning him from contacting his two victims for 10 years.

Beck was placed on the sex offenders' register for an indefinite period.