Antoni Imiela denies nine counts of rape and one of abduction

Antoni Imiela, 49, of Appledore, near Ashford in Kent, denies nine counts of rape against women and girls.

In the continuing case, Mark Dennis QC, prosecuting, said bank records proved the defendant was in the area when the nine attacks took place.

Mr Dennis said Mr Imiela was pursuing a tactic of "confess and avoid".

He said: "How else was he going to explain these things?

"He had to come up with something and therefore we have this wider vista."

Earlier in the trial at Maidstone Crown Court Mr Imiela had said he had been gay for most of his life.

Secluded areas

Mr Imiela, a former railway worker, also denies kidnapping, indecently assaulting and attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl in Birmingham.

In his closing speech, Mr Dennis said the defendant fitted the description of the attacker on each occasion and had been linked by DNA and fingerprint evidence several times.

Jurors in the trial were also shown a news clip of an attack in an unconnected case as part of the defence.

The prosecution has given evidence to court of similarities between all the rapes, in which victims were dragged to secluded areas.

'Pattern of behaviour'

But Rebecca Poulet QC, defending, said the clip showed similar tactics were used in other rapes not linked to him.

Ms Poulet said the television news report broadcast about a rape in Eastbourne in May last year demonstrated that attackers other than the accused sought secluded areas to carry out rapes.

The attack in Eastbourne took place months after Mr Imiela was arrested.

Mr Dennis, prosecuting, said the nine rapes with which Mr Imiela is charged showed a pattern of behaviour - meaning they were carried out by a single serial rapist.

He said that serial rapist was Mr Imiela.

Mr Imiela's wife Christine made an unusual request to give more evidence to the court, in which she said she still spoke to him on the phone up to three times a week.

The case continues.