A RAPIST who preyed on three women he met through dating websites, had his 'excessive' jail term cut by top judges today.

Peter Alan Watch, 26, assaulted two women, raped one and subjected another to a sordid sex attack after meeting them online.

He was convicted of five offences at Winchester Crown Court in January and jailed for 12 years, with an extended four-year licence period, in February.

But today, three senior judges sitting in London said the jail term was too tough on Watch, of Amesbury Road, Weyhill, and cut it by a year.

Judge Peter Rook QC said the crown court judge had passed an 'excessive' sentence on one of the counts of assault which Watch faced.

The court heard Watch was a frequent user of a popular dating website and used it to entice women.

One victim was left with bite marks after he was too rough in the bedroom, while another was raped, said the judge.

Having initially started sex consensually, he had continued when she asked him to stop.

He later told a friend he was 'horny' and did not stop immediately.

His third victim was also subjected to a sexual assault and put in fear by a campaign of harassment, said Judge Rook.

The women variously described the effect on them as a 'living nightmare', an 'immense ordeal' and having 'stripped her soul'.

The sentencing judge at Winchester in February said Watch's attitude towards women was 'extremely worrying' and he was a danger.

However, lawyers for Watch today argued that the judge was wrong to find him 'dangerous' and wrong to pass such a long jail term.

The biting attack on his first victim was not as serious as the judge had thought, since it came during consensual sex, the Court of Appeal was told.

Giving judgment, Judge Rook, sitting today with lord Justice Fulford and Mr Justice Foskett, said the assault sentence was a year too long.

But refusing to cut any more from the punishment, he added: 'These offences were long-standing.

'There were separate complainants and there were a number of different offences.

'They were committed against the background of a domineering attitude and included numerous acts of sexual and physical violence.'

The sentence was cut to an 11-year custodial term, with a four-year extended licence period.

The court heard Watch was convicted of rape, a sexual assault, harassment and two counts of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm.