A PAEDOPHILE who preyed on young girls in Greenock and repeatedly sexually abused his victims over a period spanning nine years has been locked up.

Gordon Ramsay was led away in handcuffs from the dock of the town’s sheriff court to shouts of ‘beast!’ from the public gallery after admitting to his vile crimes.

The 46-year-old sat impassively as the court heard how he assaulted one child to the point where she was crying from the pain he’d inflicted upon her.

Prosecutor Joanne Gilmour said that the girl — who was aged seven at the time — told police that Ramsay may have abused her up to 10 times during a four-month timeframe in 2016.

Ms Gilmour said: “However, the child could only recall two specific incidents.

“She underwent a forensic medical examination and was crying during it.”

The facts of Ramsay’s offending which were narrated in court are too harrowing to publish in full.

Another of his victims came forward after being told that the seven-year-old girl had given a statement to police.

Fiscal depute Ms Gilmour said: “She broke down and informed her mother that she too had been abused.

“She was extremely upset throughout her police interview.”

The court heard how Ramsay had repeatedly abused the girl when she was aged between seven and nine by putting his hands inside her nightwear.

He committed these offences between June 2008 and November 2010.

Between December 2010 and October 2013 he repeatedly sexually assaulted another child in a similar manner.

Ramsay, of Kincaid Court, committed the offences at various addresses in Greenock.

Ms Gilmour said: “One of the girls pushed his hand away about four or five times.

“She went to her mother’s bed because it smelled of her perfume and it made her feel safe.”

Despite his offending Ramsay initially denied to police that he’d abused the children, but finally pleaded guilty on Monday.

His defence advocate asked for his bail to be continued prior to sentencing but — to cries of ‘yes!’ from the public benches — this was rejected by Sheriff Derek Hamilton.

The sheriff said: “He has now tendered pleas of guilty to serious charges and, because of the nature of them, custody is uppermost in my mind.”

He told Ramsay: “These are extremely serious offences. You have a record that goes back some time but it is obviously a serious record for different types of offences.

“I require to get reports on you and you will be remanded in custody for the preparation of those reports.”

Police officers had to quell outbursts of anger from among the large number of people who had attended the hearing.

Ramsay has automatically been placed on the Sex Offenders Register and is due to be sentenced on March 14.