A Dingwall sex attacker appeared in court today to fight his 10-year jail term.
John MacIntosh was locked up last year after being found guilty of raping three women.
The jury at the High Court in Aberdeen also convicted him of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a young girl.
The offences happened in the Inverness and Dingwall areas between 1996 and 2004.
While sentencing him, judge Lord Uist described MacIntosh as a “sexual fiend” and handed him a discretionary life sentence.
But yesterday, the 47-year-old appeared at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh to appeal against the sentence, which came with a minimum 10-year jail term.
And appeal judges Lady Paton, Lady Dorrian and Lord Eassie concluded their brother judge Lord Uist had used the incorrect legal procedure when deciding the punishment.
They ruled he should have used the order for lifelong restriction (OLR) procedure, and have now ordered social workers to carry out a risk assessment to see if MacIntosh meets the criteria.
Such an order means MacIntosh would only be released from custody when the parole board decides he no longer poses a threat to the community.
Advocate Claire Mitchell told the appeal judges yesterday that Lord Uist should have used the OLR when considering MacIntosh’s sentence.
They continued the hearing for further consideration at a yet to be arranged date.
MacIntosh – who has previously served seven years for having sex with 13 and 14-year-old girls – was told last August when he was sentenced that he should not to assume he would automatically be released after 10 years in prison.
Lord Uist told the sex offender at the time: “You targeted vulnerable females in order to gratify your carnal lust.
“You have called all these women liars and shown no remorse for what you did.
“It is clear to me that you have no respect for women and are a sexual fiend.”