A SERIAL rapist who escaped justice for more than 16 years has been jailed.

Wayne Liddy, 44, was today sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court after admitting raping two women and indecently assaulting a third in the early 1990s.

The first attack happened on October 17, 1992, when Liddy grabbed a 35-year-old woman who was returning home from a night out, dragged her into a garage area and raped her in Earlham Grove, Forest Gate.

Less than a month later Liddy threatened a 22-year-old woman in Wanstead Flats, near Manor Park station, and forced her to undress. He then forced her to perform a sexual act.

On March 21, 1993, Liddy dragged a 27-year-old woman to a secluded area of an underground car park in Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone and raped her.

Liddy was not identified as the rapist and the crimes had gone unsolved.

But in 2007, Liddy was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage in Northern Ireland and his DNA taken, which matched samples taken from the crime scenes.

Det Sgt Annette Maslin, who led the investigation, said: “This was a particularly violent series of offences.

“One of the most disturbing points with this case was the level of planning and preparation Liddy went to before committing these brutal attacks.

“He then used an alarming level of control and violence against the victims when he raped and sexually assaulted them, wearing a balaclava and terrifying them throughout.”