A Wick man who abused three young children was jailed for eight years.
Ernest Watt, 48, carried out the offences at properties in Wick, Caithness, between January 2011 and February 2017.
He raped one boy and abused another, as well as abusing a girl.
Watt also carried out further physical assaults on the children which included striking them on the body with a belt and pushing one of the boys on a bed.
After a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, he was found guilty of rape, sexual assaults and physical abuse against the victims.
Lord Armstrong also put Watt on an extended sentence for a further four years upon his release from prison.
He said: “You were in a clear position of trust and the crimes were committed against children.
“During this period, you repeatedly assaulted them in your house.
“You are 48 and you have a record which spans from 1991 to 2017 which compromises of 37 previous convictions.
“You continue to deny responsibility for your conduct for the charges you were found guilty of.
“You lied about what you did to them and you appear to have a lack of empathy or reason.
“You are dismissive towards the victims in this case.
“Society feels abhorrence for crimes against children and this court needs to show that.”
Watt, from Wick, was put on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.