A SEX predator who raped a woman while her children were in the house has been locked up for five years.

Derek Kennedy attacked his victim at the property in Ardrossan on May 13, 2019.

The 25 year-old ex-chef had denied the crime, but was found guilty following a trial.

The victim returned to the High Court in Glasgow to see her attacker locked up.

Lord Sandison told Kennedy: "You were convicted of raping the woman...in her own home while her children were there.

"Your offence is a serious one aggravated that it happened while you were on bail."

Kennedy, now of Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, was put on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

Jurors heard how the woman broke down during a 999 call.

Describing how she protested to Kennedy during the attack, the victim recalled she was unsure if he thought she was "kidding" at the time.

The woman added in the call: "He did not act as if he was doing anything wrong."

The mum initially thought she may have "exaggerated" what happened until a friend insisted "no means no".

Joseph Barr, defending, told the court Kennedy remained in a stable relationship.