A MUSIC teacher who classed female pupils as "fair game" is behind bars for a campaign of rape, abuse and grooming against six girls.

Matthew Birch was described by prosecutors as a sexual "predator" whose "prey conformed to a particular type".

The 45-year-old targeted girls who had musical talent, but often had personal issues.

Victims at the two secondary schools in Fife and North Lanarkshire had described him initially as a "fun teacher" and a "father figure".

But he raped two of the girls and had underage sex with another including at school and where he lived.

The final victim confided in a principal teacher – but she was a friend of Birch and instead went to him rather than taking it further.

It was only when she later went back to a headteacher that a large-scale probe was sparked into Birch.

He denied anything inappropriate occurred during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

But jurors returned unanimous guilty verdicts to nine charges including rape and engaging in sexual activity while in a position of trust.

Birch had been on bail but was remanded in custody pending sentencing in the New Year.