A BRUTAL thug who inflicted years of violence on women was given a life sentence today after showing no remorse for his crimes.

Shahbaz Khan, 35, battered three victims over a seven-year period.

A judge told Khan that evidence at his earlier trial had shown he was someone who resorted to violence in order to exercise "obsessive control" over his victims.

Lord Burns said at the High Court in Edinburgh: "They were and remain deeply traumatised by your actions."

He imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) on Khan and told him he must serve a minimum of four years behind bars.

Offenders who are subject to an OLR can only expect to be freed if they can satisfy parole authorities over public safety concerns.

Khan had denied a series of charges at his earlier trial and was acquitted of alleged sex crimes against women but was found found guilty of six assaults.

His first victim was throttled by him, repeatedly hit and kicked, knocked to the ground and stamped on during a series of attacks which inflicted serious injury at four houses in Paisley and at addresses in Motherwell, Coatbridge, Newarthill and Hamilton, all in Lanarkshire, between January 2012 and October 2018.

The victim was also subjected to a further serious attack at Fountain Park, in Edinburgh, and a house in the city on March 4, 2018, when Khan repeatedly punched her on the head and body.

On the same date, he attacked a second woman at a flat in Edinburgh, inflicting severe injury on her. During this assault, she fell and struck her head, leaving her unconscious.

She was also repeatedly kicked and stamped on and thrown across a room, hitting furniture.

Khan's final victim was subjected to attacks by him in Glasgow and Oban in 2019.

She was dragged by the hair, grabbed by the throat, spat on and had a knife drawn against her skin as Khan threatened violence to her and her family.

The court heard that he was arrested in December 2019 and, while in prison, got into a fight with another inmate who accused of him of "not being a real Muslim."

Defence counsel John Scullion QC said Khan has made considerable efforts to deal with problems caused by cannabis and cocaine use.