A serial rapist who carried out an “appalling catalogue of sexual violence and abusive behaviour” against multiple women has been jailed for 11 years.

Warning: This article contains descriptions of assaults and sexual violence

Owen Orr, 24, raped four women and physically assaulted a fifth, with his offending happening in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian.

His crimes began when he was just 17 and escalated to rape when he was 20.

A court heard how he threw a can at one woman which hit her on the body, punched her in the face, grabbed her by the hair and arms, and seized her head and struck it against a door frame.

A second victim was raped while she was pregnant.

During an assault, Orr put his hand over her nose and mouth, restricting her breathing, and on another occasion he followed her and tried to drag her into a field, claiming he had a knife.

Orr also deprived her of her mobile phone and isolated her from family and friends, placed her in a headlock and banged her head against a wall.

The woman was repeatedly shouted and swore at and suffered from Orr’s abusive comments and derogatory remarks.

Orr’s third victim – the second to be raped – was seriously sexually assaulted twice.

He also shouted and swore at her, made threats, and threatened to kill her cat and a dog – alongside kicking the canine.

Orr’s fourth victim – the third to be raped – was repeatedly seriously sexually assaulted and kicked.

During one attack, he put a pillow over her head, restricting her breathing, and threatened to kill her.

Orr’s fifth victim – the fourth to be raped – was repeatedly attacked during his campaign of violence.

Orr was convicted in May following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh and was sentenced on Wednesday.

Judge Lord Doherty told him: “Your offending was an appalling catalogue of sexual violence and abusive behaviour.”

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The judge said the sentence imposed was “due punishment” and to “protect the public, in particular young women, from your behaviour”.

Lord Doherty said a background report prepared on Orr indicated he continued to deny responsibility for the offences.

The judge said: “You have expressed no remorse.

“It is clear from the evidence at the trial, and from victim impact statements and other material I have been provided with, that your offending has had serious and lasting emotional and psychological consequences for your victims.”

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Lord Doherty said Orr, who had no previous convictions, was “not a fully mature adult” when his offences were committed, with the defendant aged between 20 and 22 “when the most serious of them took place”.

“Had it not been for your relative youth and immaturity, the sentence… would have been significantly higher,” the judge added.

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Orr was handed a 15-year extended sentence, with 11 years in jail and four years on licence.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and was banned from contacting all five victims, as well as a child mentioned during the case.

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