SERIAL rapist Antoni Imiela is today facing up to at least 20 years behind bars.

He received seven life sentences after being found guilty of seven rapes, attempted rape and indecent assault during a year-long reign of terror.

Jailing Imiela, 49, of Heathside, Appledore, near Ashford, Mr Justice Owen said: "You are a ruthless sexual predator who carefully selected locations in which you could strike on unsuspecting victims, overwhelming them with brute force and in most cases using threats to kill."

The judge added: "Most thought that they would die at your hands."

After nine hours 41 minutes, the jury of seven men and five women could not reach a unanimous or majority verdict on charges four and five, the alleged double rape of an 18-year-old woman in Woking in July 2002.

Mr Justice Owen discharged the jury from giving verdicts on these counts. They will remain on file.

The judge said: "Four of your victims were young girls, you subjected them to humiliating and degrading sexual acts culminating in rape.

He went on to say Imiela's assualt on his victims were a 'grotesque parody of consensual relationships'.

For the sevens counts of rape he was given seven life sentences. For kidnap he received 10 years. For indecent assault he received seven years and for attempted rape 12 years.

These three offences related to his attack on a 10-year-old girl in Birmingham in November 2002, something the prosecution had always claimed was his final act of defiance.

The court heard Imiela has a string of previous convictions including a series of armed robberies for which he was jailed for 14 years in 1988.

Because of this he received automatic life sentences for each count of rape.