An Albanian teenager who brutally sexually assaulted and robbed two women walking through Gravesend town centre has been locked up for 12 years.

Edison Mulaj, 19, attacked his victims in February and March this year having only arrived in the UK in November last year.

CCTV footage showed burly Mulaj, the son of an Albanian police officer, had been in a nightclub, alone, and images captured him near to his second victim.

Cameras also showed him following her as she walked across a car park at about 4.45am before grabbing her and dragging her into an alleyway, where she was raped three times.

Maidstone Crown Court heard her terrifying ordeal lasted half an hour before she fled, jumped into a passing car and told the shocked driver to call police.

She later completed what was described as a very accurate e-fit image and Mulaj was arrested three days later still wearing the same distinctive T-shirt and trainers.

Mulaj, of New Road, Gravesend, admitted three offences of rape, two of robbery and one of sexual assault.

Passing sentence, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said the attacks exemplified "a nightmare scenario for any woman walking in the street alone at night".

He added there was "overwhelming" evidence that he had singled out his victims.

The judge imposed an extended determinate sentence of 16 years to take into account that he considered the teenager to be dangerous and of significant risk to women.

This consists of a custodial term of 12 years with an extended licence period of four years.

It means he will have to serve at least two-thirds of the 12 years before becoming eligible for parole.

But he will only be released if and when the Parole Board decide his detention is no longer necessary for the protection of the public.

Mulaj could therefore serve a full 12 years behind bars. He will transfer from a young offenders' institution to an adult prison at the age of 21.

Upon release his deportation will be considered by the Home Office.

Judge Macdonald added that he did not accept there was any "depth of remorse".

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Macdonald said her "degrading, gratuitous and violent" ordeal ended because of her "extraordinary presence of mind and courage".

Victim impact statements were not read out in court but the judge said the effect on the two women had been significant.

"He doesn't provide an excuse for his behaviour and his drunkeness provides no excuse for what he did either" - Mark Dacey, defending

Following the rape in March, police were also able to trace Mulaj walking back to his flat above a curry house in New Road with the use of CCTV. His DNA was also found in the alleyway.

He was arrested three days later in the town centre, still wearing the T-shirt he wore during the rapes. He told the arresting officers his name was Alex.

He pleaded guilty at his first hearing at the crown court in May.

"Thanks to the diligence of the police investigation and the co-operation of the victims and their clear recall of what happened, the evidence in this case was little short of overwhelming," said Mr Espley.

Mulaj has no previous convictions in Albania but his fingerprints were confirmed by the French authorities to match an allegation of theft in November last year, shortly before he arrived in Tilbury, Essex.

Mark Dacey, defending, said Mulaj, who turned 19 shortly before the second attack, had expressed remorse and wanted to apologise publically and in writing to his victims.

He was said to have come to the UK "with a great vision of working and making his fortune" but the reality had been one of "isolation with no support or moral guidance".

Mr Dacey said Mulaj was troubled as to why he committed the offences but denied the teenager had minimised his behaviour or its impact on his victims.

"He doesn't provide an excuse for his behaviour and his drunkenness provides no excuse for what he did either," he added.

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