A serial sex attacker who subjected four women to horror abuse could be facing a life sentence.
Alexander Thomson, 42, was today back in the dock having earlier been convicted of 17 charges of rape and physical attacks between 2013 and 2019 across West Lothian.
This included knocking one victim's teeth out and making her swallow them.
He also put a plastic bag over another terrified woman's head as she slept and tried to choke her.
After a brutal rape, Thomson casually walked away from his victim and asked did she want a coffee.
Two of the women had since passed away, but their brave police statements helped convicted the thug.
Thomson's QC Jim Keegan asked for him to be sentenced today, but Judge Tom Hughes instead adjourned the case again for a full risk assessment to be prepared.
This could eventually see Thomson being hit with a strict Order for Lifelong Restriction.
The judge told the sex attacker: "There may be a requirement for an order.
"Mr Keegan will have the opportunity to make full submissions to me.
"But, I consider it an obligation that I have this report prepared."
The crimes occurred in Livingston, Bathgate and Broxburn.
In his closing speech, prosecutor Adrian Stalker said: "All (the victims) gave honest and detailed accounts of what one called 'the bad stuff' and the 'things that stay with you'."
One told how Thomson gouged her with a knife where a tattoo of an ex-boyfriend's name was.
The court heard he once kicked her on the head causing teeth to break.
Thomson ordered her to then swallow them and he also pulled part of a tooth out with pliers.
Another of the victims - one who since died - had told Thomson how she had a fear of something being put over her head.
Mr Stalker said the woman later then told police of an incident he called "cruel and sadistic".
The advocate depute: "When she was sleeping, she awoke to find a plastic bag over her head with Thomson leaning down so she could not get it off.
"He then pinched her nose restricting her breathing."
The same woman also once took a panic attack and then a seizure after Thomson stuffed her mouth with socks.
Sinister Thomson told her: "If you had gone on for six minutes then I would have phoned an ambulance."
He also claimed to the woman he had "magic cream" which would cover bruises he had caused.
The charges included Thomson being guilty of raping all four victims.
After pouncing on one while she was asleep, he stated to her: "You looked so peaceful lying there, I did not want to wake you."
Another was attacked while a child was at the end of a bed watching TV.
This woman recalled another time she was raped.
She said: "He put his clothes on as if nothing had happened and went downstairs for a coffee."
Thomson accepted during the trial he could have been violent two to three times a week with the women, but denied any sex offences.
