Rapist Colin Mitchell found with dozens of child abuse images

A convicted rapist who was caught storing pornographic images of children on his computer has been given a life sentence.

Colin Mitchell, 37, was arrested after police seized his laptop at his mother's home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, in August 2011.

Officers found 69 photographs and 131 videos of child abuse on the machine.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Mitchell was jailed for 15 years for other sex offences in 2004.

He was convicted of 16 charges of raping and indecently assaulting two boys - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - at Lewes Crown Court in Surrey.

The court heard that following his release on licence in December 2010, Mitchell headed back to his home in Alloa and began downloading online pornography.

On Tuesday, judge Lord Bannatyne ruled that Mitchell was a threat to public safety.

He ordered that he be made the subject of an Order of Lifetime Restriction - and should serve at least nine years and nine months before the parole board considered him for release.

Passing sentence, Lord Bannatyne said the nine years reflected the unserved part of Mitchell's original sentence, while the nine month portion reflected the crime of downloading child porn.