Antoni Imiela denies nine counts of rape against women and girls

The woman is the alleged fourth victim of a man accused of carrying out a series of rapes across the south of England.

She told Maidstone Crown Court: "I felt like I wanted to die."

Railway worker Antoni Imiela, 49, of Appledore, near Ashford in Kent, denies all charges of rape against women and children.

I thought I was going to die. I thought he was going to kill me Alleged victim, speaking in court

He is accused of nine counts of rape, on five women and three girls under 16, in Kent, Berkshire, Surrey and Hertfordshire during 2001 and 2002.

He also denies counts of kidnap, indecent assault and attempted rape on a 10-year-old girl in Birmingham.

The 20-year-old woman was 18 at the time of the alleged attack near Woking in Surrey on 16 July 2002.

Covered her eyes

She gave evidence to the court with Imiela hidden from her behind a screen in the dock.

She told the jury she had been bundled "half crawling, half being dragged" into undergrowth as she walked down a path.

She said the attacker told her: "Don't you dare scream".

The woman told the court: "I thought I was going to die. I thought he was going to kill me."

She said she covered her eyes during the attack because she thought there was more chance of him letting her go alive if she had not seen him.

The woman told the court the man had raped her twice.

Linked by DNA

She said: "I was trying not to think about what was happening and I was just thinking about him and what type of person he must be to do this to me.

"I had had enough. I just wanted to go home and wanted my mum and he was carrying on and then I said 'Please don't hurt me' and he said 'I won't hurt you physically, this will just leave you emotionally scarred'."

Earlier the court heard Imiela could be linked to another alleged victim, a 26-year-old, by DNA.

Scientist Valerie Tomlinson told the court the DNA sample taken from the victim had two "bands" which could be found in Mr Imiela's genetic profile.

She said the chances of it not being his DNA were one in 14.

When questioned by Rebecca Poulet, QC, prosecuting, Ms Tomlinson agreed a large proportion of the population could carry the same bands.

The trial continues.