The deemster who jailed serial rapist William Henry Kelly told him: ’You are a cruel, predatory and persistent rapist.’

As we reported yesterday, William Henry Kelly, once a removals firm boss, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars.

The defendant, who lived in Peel, was impassive in the dock as a jury of six men and one woman found him guilty on 10 charges of rape, four of indecent assault and two of causing actual bodily harm.

Passing sentence on the 46-year-old, Deemster Peter Birkett told him: ’You are a cruel, predatory and persistent rapist.

’You are likely for some considerable time, to be a danger to women.’

He told Kelly that his offences were aggravated by being committed over a number of years (between 2013 and 2016) on women he knew to be vulnerable.

’You sought to attack each account when you knew they were telling the truth.

’My sentence must reflect society’s abhorrence of conduct such as yours and women must be protected from people like you and the sentence must serve as a warning that rape is one of the most evil and serious crimes,’ he told him.

He reminded the court that over a period of years, Kelly had formed relationships with the three complainants when each was going though a difficult time.

’I am satisfied on the evidence that you were fully aware of their vulnerability and actively exploited that to satisfy your own sexual appetites.

’You raped each, not once, but repeatedly and in addition you subjected one of them to serious violence and to further serious sexual indignity.

’You are a manipulative and self-centred man. When these women needed compassion, you behaved quite disgracefully to them.

’You gave them no thought as you raped them and assaulted them, you were so consumed with your own desire for sexual gratification,’ he said.

He reminded the the court one of the victims had only just left hospital and he had claimed he was going to look after her.

’But you intended to have sex with her irrespective of what she wanted, and you did so twice, without remorse or compassion,’ he said.

Another, he said, had broken up with her husband and was trying to start afresh in the Isle of Man.

But Kelly had targeted her and raped her twice, he said.

In the case of the third victim, Deemster Birkett said Kelly had controlled and dominated her for nearly two years, indecently assaulting her, raping her on six occasions, and using violence against her.

’You are a large and powerful man.

’They could not stop you and they were too frightened of you to go to the police. It took courage for each to come forward, to come to court and to publicly relive these terrible events.

’But you have sought to say each was lying and you have not shown one ounce of remorse - but the jury have, quite rightly, seen through you.’

Kelly must spend at least two thirds of the sentence behind bars and will not therefore leave prison for 12 years.

The remainder of the period will be spent on licence, meaning should he commit any further offence he can be returned to prison to serve the remainder of the sentence. That licence period is extended by eight years.

Deemster Birkett thanked the jury, all of whom remained in court to hear the sentencing, for their efforts on the trial which began three weeks ago.