A FATHER-of-three has gone of trial accused of knifepoint sex attacks at universities in Kent and Sussex 16 years ago.

One victim was an American student who had only arrived in the UK the day before, while two girls were attacked within minutes of each other.

All were asleep in their rooms on campus when Paul Collings, now aged 39, is alleged to have pounced.

In each of the attacks in October and December 1989 the girls woke to find a man kneeling by their beds with a knife.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard that DNA samples were obtained from the scenes of the attacks at the University of Kent in Canterbury and the University of Sussex in Brighton.

Tests at the time concluded that the attacks were carried out by the same man, and advances in forensic science lead, the court heard, to that man being identified in 2004 as Collings.

Anthony Haycroft, prosecuting, said: "DNA evidence is very compelling and in this case it is particularly compelling because we have a situation where the tests all say the same thing - that the DNA in Brighton matches the DNA in Canterbury and not only is it the same but in both it matches the defendant."

Mr Haycroft said the likelihood of the DNA sample belonging to someone else was one in one billion. He added: "And that is erring on the side of caution."

The court heard that, unusually, none of the three victims would be giving "live" evidence but that the jury would only hear their written statements.

Mr Haycroft said this was because the fact they were raped or indecently assaulted was accepted.

"The issue here is whether that someone who raped and indecently asaulted them was the defendant," he explained.

He also said the the Crown’s case relied solely on the DNA evidence. "There is no other reliable evidence linking him to the attacks," the court heard.

Collings, of Peartree Field, Icklesham, Winchelsea, East Sussex, denies rape and indecent assault on the same victim on October 8 1989, indecent assault of the second victim on December 2 1989, and rape of the third victim, also on December 2 1989.

The trial continues.