Serial rapist confesses in letter

Mrs Imiela says her husband has confessed to his crimes

Convicted serial rapist Antoni Imiela has confessed in a letter to attacking seven women and young girls.

The former railway worker denied all charges against him during a six-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Now his wife and daughter say he posted the note to the family home in Appledore, Kent, where they still live.

In March, the 49-year-old was given seven life sentences for attacking women and girls in Kent, Surrey, west London and Hertfordshire.

Prison visit

Imiela was originally accused of nine rapes, but two charges relating to an alleged attack on an 18-year-old woman in Woking, Surrey, in July 2002, were left on file after the jury failed to reach a verdict.

Kent and Surrey police have said that, if his confessions are true, they will consider questioning Imiela again about the other offences on file.

In court, Imiela denied all the charges against him

After the trial, Christine Imiela told BBC South East Today that she still loved her husband, who she said was "a sick man who needs help".

Mrs Imiela said after first visiting him in prison that her husband, who she met in 1996, had not accepted he had committed the crimes.

At the time of his conviction, the judge described Imiela as "a ruthless sexual predator".

As well as the life sentences, Imiela was given 10 years for the kidnap, seven for the indecent assault and 12 years for the attempted rape of a 10-year-old girl in Birmingham.