A 10-year-old Kent girl, said to be Antoni Imiela’s first rape victim, was today described in court as “remarkable".

In his closing speech to the jury, prosecutor Mark Dennis said she was an impressive witness who was able to provide a detailed account or her ordeal just hours after it happened.

“You saw her interview,” he told the jury. “It was a remarkable video and quite chilling in its content. She was a very remarkable young girl.”

He went on to say she was able to give police vital information about her attacker, who he claimed was driven by a cruel and callous attitude, humiliating his victim and exerting power and control over his victim.

Mr Imiela, 49, is accused of snatching the girl from outside the Ray Allen Centre, Stanhope, Ashford, on November 15, 2001, before repeatedly molesting and then raping her.

Mr Dennis told the jury at Maidstone Crown Court: “He showed contempt for his small victim and complete disregard for her and what he was doing to her.

“She was in truth, an object for his sexual drive with which he showed not one ounce of compassion or sensitivity.”

Mr Imiela, of Heathside, Appledore, near Ashford, had claimed confusion, poor recollection or used deliberate fabrication whenever it had not suited him to face up to the evidence, the court was told.

“He is a man who simply cannot own up to what he has done and face the consequences of his wicked actions,” Mr Dennis said.

He discussed the coincidences which occurred between Mr Imiela and the serial rapist, adding: “He has no alibi for any of these attacks, no evidence to show where he was when each and every one of these victims were attacked.”

Earlier the defence case concluded with Mr Imiela’s wife, Christine, returning to the witness box.

She said her husband had told her about his worries over a fingerprint taken in February 2003 during a phone call from prison or the police station.

Mr Imiela claims this was later put on to a carrier bag owned by one of his alleged victims as part of a police set up.

She also claimed she did not know pink fibres from curtains in the couple’s home were found on his clothes and his alleged victim’s clothing as he rarely went in to the lounge wearing work clothes or touched the curtains.

Mrs Imiela had spoken to the police about these two issues on Monday after hearing her husband’s evidence last week.

Mr Imiela denies nine charges of rape, one of attempted rape, indecent assault and kidnap between November 2001 and November 2002.

The trial continues.