Babysitter jailed for child rape

The judge placed Hendry on the sex offenders register

A babysitter who raped two young children he was meant to be caring for has been jailed for 10 years.

Colin Hendry, 45, was earlier found guilty of raping the girls, aged five and seven, at houses in the Stirling area, and abusing a third girl.

The judge, Lady Stacey, said Hendry had been assessed as posing "a medium risk" of further offending.

She ordered that Hendry should be kept under supervision for a further four years for the protection of the public.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lady Stacey told Hendry: "You will realise the court must impose a long custodial sentence in this case."

He was also convicted of molesting a third girl from the age of nine in 1993.

The court heard that one victim broke down sobbing at school and told a teacher of the abuse.

During an earlier trial the married, father-of-two had denied the charges, claiming the girls were making it up.

Defence solicitor advocate George Pollock said Hendry had been the breadwinner and the "inevitable" jail sentence would have a significant impact on his family.

Lady Stacey earlier put Hendry on the sex offenders register.