Ten life sentences for serial rapist

A serial rapist has been sentenced to ten life terms after he admitted attacks on nine women.

The man, 35-year-old Greek Cypriot Petros Anthia, whose address was given as West Green Road, Tottenham, had initially denied the charges and had been on trial for three weeks when he asked to change his plea to guilty.

Anthia, who had worked as a self-employed builder, admitted 10 rape charges and three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Three other charges relating to serious sexual assault were left on file.

He raped six women and assaulted three others who managed to evade him in a series of incidents in north London and then Hatfield and St Albans in south Hertfordshire in January 2003 to April 2004.

Finally arrested on the discovery of DNA and other forensic evidence on two of the victims clothing, Anthia had used a van in his search for women who he attacked and attempted to drag into parkland areas.

The court heard that Anthia had a string of previous convictions for burglary and assault in Cyprus.

(SP/MB)