Man accused of serial rapes
A serial sex attacker dragged women off the street and raped them in late-night attacks, a court heard today.
Petros Anthia, 35, a Greek-Cypriot, is accused of raping six young women and assaulting three others in a 15-month spell of attacks in north London and Hertfordshire.
The "terrified victims" were " raped, brutalised and beaten" by Anthia, St Albans Crown Court heard.
He grabbed his victims then dragged them on to wasteland or nearby parks. One victim was raped on a golf course, another on the land of a private estate.
Many of the women - who were aged between 19 and 35 - were attacked from behind and subjected to anal rape.
Miranda Moore QC, prosecuting, told the jury to take a "deep breath" as they heard about the alleged assaults.
She said: "What we have here [are] women who were walking home alone in reasonably well-lit streets and on popular bus routes when they were dragged - sometimes kicking, sometimes trying to scream - on to waste or parkland and forced to have intercourse with the attacker.
"That happened in six of these cases. The attacker could not have thought for a nano-second that any of the women were consenting [to sex]."
Miss Moore said that three victims had managed to break free and flee Anthia. One managed to flag down a passing motorist for help after falling into a layby.
Miss Moore said: "The Crown's case is that the rapes bore distinctive and unusual features which make it clear that the same person is responsible for all six rapes."
She said one victim was partly strangled from behind until she had passed out and was then carried to Arnos Park, Enfield, where she was raped. Two other victims were raped in "almost exactly the same spot". The other attacks took place in Barnet, Hatfield and St Albans.
Anthia, of Haringey, is accused of 15 counts of rape and assault. He denies 10 counts of rape, three counts of assault with intent to commit buggery, one indecent assault and one count of causing actual bodily harm.
The trial continues.
