Image copyright Ciaran Donnelly Image caption Stuart Young will be sentenced at the High Court next month

A man has been convicted of raping a one-day-old baby boy and two other young children.

Stuart Young preyed on the children between November 2008 and December 2013 at various locations in Edinburgh.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the attacks on the one-day-old boy continued until he was aged three months.

A jury convicted Young on two charges of rape and another of sexual assault. Sentence was deferred.

The week-long trial heard how, in November 2008, Young raped a girl who was aged just six months.

He continued to sexually assault her until December 2013 when she was aged five.

Prison sentence

In July 2013, he abused a nine-year-old girl at an address in the capital's Stenhouse area.

Following conviction, temporary judge Paul Arthurson QC deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports about Young's character.

The judge warned Young, who lived in Sighthill, Edinburgh, to expect a lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Arthurson said: "You have been convicted of some truly depraved and despicable crimes.

"You should expect a sentence to reflect your level of criminality."

Young, who has previous convictions for non-analogous offences, had entered not guilty pleas and denied any wrongdoing.

The details of the case were so traumatic that jurors have been excused from serving on another jury for five years.

Defence solicitor advocate Ian Paterson told the court that his client realised that he was going to be sent to prison.

He said: "Mr Young expects that a substantial period of imprisonment will be imposed upon him."

Specialist support

Sheriff Arthurson deferred sentence and Young swore as he left the dock with two security officers who were taking him to the court room cells.

Young was also placed on the sex offenders register. He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 28 May.

Det Insp Douglas Moran, of Police Scotland, said specialist support was being given to Young's victims and their families.

He said: "Thanks to the bravery of these two little girls in speaking up about the horrific abuse Young inflicted upon them, their physical ordeal is over and their tormentor is now facing a considerable prison sentence. The baby boy was given a voice so he too could be spared further suffering.

"However they, and their families, have had to live through Young's catalogue of offending again since he refused to accept responsibility for his actions and subjected them to a trial.

"Specialist support continues to be provided to the children and their families, and I hope they take comfort that he is now behind bars."