The former Springside home of child rapist has been vandalised after he was locked-up for sexually assaulting three girls.

Michael Martin was jailed last week following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow after he was convicted of raping a seven-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl at various addresses in Glasgow between 1976 and 1978.

The 59-year-old was also convicted of sexually abusing a four-year-old girl in 1979.

Following his conviction his former home in Craig View, Springside was attacked by vandals who spray painted “No beasts in Springside” and “Beasts Out” on the property and smashed windows.

Neighbours today spoke out about Martin, who is originally from Glasgow and moved to Springside two years ago, saying they felt he had “given Springside a bad name”.

One woman, who asked not to be named, said: “The whole Springside community is just in shock that he turned out to be a rapist. He was fairly well known in the pubs in and around Irvine. He seemed like a decent guy, but it just goes to show you never know what people are really capable of.”

Another neighbour voiced his outrage that Martin had been housed “right next to a swing park”.

He said: “They have put him in, basically, right next to a swing park. That makes me angry. The council need to know that we don’t want people like that in Springside.”

Another resident agreed, saying: “This man was from Glasgow, not Springside, but because he lived here for a wee while, he has given our lovely wee village a bad name. There are no paedophiles in Springside and we want it to stay that way.”

His victims who are now grown women aged 47, 55 and 42, told the High Court in Glasgow that when Martin abused them he told them to be quiet saying “Shh.”

They told the jury that they told no one of their ordeal them and one added: “Who would have believed us in the 1970s.”

Judge Lady Carmichael defer red sentence on Martin, who is behind bars in Livingston, until June and put him on the sex offenders’ register.