A CROSSGATES rapist who spiked a woman's drink before telling her "prove it" when she confronted him over the sex attack was warned he's facing a lengthy jail sentence.

Craig Slater, 50, of Droverhall Avenue, was convicted of a catalogue of sexual abuse and violence against women, including getting three victims to consume intoxicating substances without their knowledge.

Judge Tom Hughes QC told him that he had been found guilty of "wicked, evil crimes".

He said that jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh had to listen to evidence of "the most appalling nature" during Slater's trial and that the victims had given their testimony with "a considerable amount of dignity".

The judge added: "This jury chose to believe them and I hope that gives them some degree of satisfaction."

He told Slater that he was a danger to women and said: "You must be well aware of the fact you will be receiving a substantial custodial sentence as a result of this case."

Unemployed Slater was found guilty of 11 charges, including four rapes, assault to danger of life with intent to rape, indecent assault and assault.

He was acquitted of a further four charges of indecency, indecent assault and assault. He had denied a string of charges.

Slater committed a series of violent and sexual crimes between 1993 and 2014 in Methil and Inverkeithing.

Among his five victims, he raped three women and assaulted a two-year-old boy.

One woman who met him through the Plenty of Fish dating website said she was left feeling "sleepy" and "dopey " after consuming a drink prepared by Slater.

The 45-year-old went to bed but knew when she awoke that someone had sex with her, although she had no recollection of intercourse and confronted Slater. His response was to laugh and tell her: "Prove it".

Slater also raped the woman after telling her to choke him and strangle him and treat him like his mother had.

He grabbed her arms, gripped her by the throat and forced her to have sex.

The victim said that when she first got to know Slater he had seemed nice but later turned abusive and violent.

Another rape victim said: "I was terrified. I was scared. I felt disgusted but I didn't want anyone else to know anything."

The 49-year-old said she had suffered flashbacks and sleeplessness in the wake of his crimes.

During one assault Slater had pulled a ring off her finger.

She said: "He knelt on my chest. I couldn't breathe at all. I felt as if I was suffocating.

"I had pain in my chest. I thought I was going to die."

She said that afterwards she was curled up in a ball and crying.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard asked what Slater's reaction was and she replied: "Nothing. He just laughed."

During an attack Slater ripped her blouse after he pushed her down. She said: "He was trying to rape me."

She said that in another assault he had been drinking and lunged at her, pulled her hair and threw her against a window and her arm went through it.

The court heard that the woman was raped after she had gone to bed feeling really tired. She woke to find Slater on top of her having sex with her.

She pushed him and asked him what he was doing but he laughed and said: "I am finished anyway."

The woman said it was "disgusting".

Slater also indecently assaulted the woman when she was in the bath.

The third rape victim said she was in "shock" when he assaulted her and took off her underwear. The 46-year-old woman said: "I felt dirty and I felt violated."

Slater also punched the woman on the side of the head and hit her two-year-old son during a separate attack.

He told the court that he had previously taken amphetamine for years but took ecstasy only a few times and denied the sex assaults and spiking women's drinks.

Sentence was deferred for reports and he was remanded in custody. Slater was placed on the sex offenders' register.