A serial abuser of women posted intimate photos of one online only for her later to learn what he had done.

John Toal preyed on three victims which often saw him fly into jealous rages.

The 39-year-old car rental firm worker pleaded guilty to offences involving the trio as he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.

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Toal already had a number of convictions against women including breach of the peace and serious assaults - one resulting in a 27 month jail-term in 2013.

He is now back behind bars for these latest crimes and will be sentenced next month.

The offences mainly happened in the north of Glasgow and West Lothian between 2011 and 2022.

Toal met one of the women online around 2021.

He was initially described as "normal", but soon turned on this victim.

Toal would call her horrible names, He also insisted he did not want her in touch with family and friends.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC said: "She felt demeaned and lost a great deal of self confidence."

The pair visited England in late 2021 - the woman took unwell there and had to go back to the hotel.

Toal was not happy insisting the trip then was a "waste of money".

He started choking her and pinned her against a door.

Mr Cameron: "She asked him to stop, but he did not. Instead, he asked her to give him a reason why she should."

He eventually let her go and she escaped out the hotel.

The distressed victim roamed the streets for hours trying to get someone to take her back to Scotland.

She had no means to get home having left her bank card and money at the hotel.

Feeling she had no other option, the woman returned back there in tears - Toal accused of being with another man.

The victim at one stage learned there were intimate photos of her online.

She had previously shared them with Toal.

The woman then found other snaps of her naked, but not showing her face.

Mr Cameron: "She had no knowledge of these having been taken and concluded that they must have been taken by Toal when she was asleep.

"She felt disgusted and betrayed that he had done so."

Toal denied posting them when later confronted.

The thug also assaulted the woman in December 2021.

After wanting to end all contact with him, Toal made a number of threats including how she would be a "target forever" and that he would attack her with a machete.

The court was told how Toal met his first victim on Facebook.

She thought of him as "nice", but he quickly started hounding her with texts and calls.

He branded her names such as "ugly" and "fat". Toal also had her log-in details for social media and checked who she was contacting.

Toal ended up in jail 2012, but still tormented the woman from behind bars calling and sending her letters.

The other victim was assaulted when Toal hurled a mobile phone at her.

She ended up needing a splint for a wrist injury.

Mr Cameron: "She did not tell the medical staff how it happened as she did not want to get Toal into trouble."

Toal pleaded guilty to engaging in abusive behaviour and attempting to pervert the course of justice in connection with the "photos" victim.

He further admitted to a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards another and assaulting the third.

Lady Hood deferred sentencing for reports.