Six young women allegedly attacked by a serial rapist, including five from the Enfield area, have given evidence at St Albans Crown Court.

The jury in the trial of Petros Anthia, 35, of West Green Road, Harringay, has heard from most of his nine alleged victims, and three more, including one from Enfield, are due to give evidence.

One sobbing 20-year-old attacked near Hatfield, Hertfordshire, declined the offer of a screen to shield her from Anthia in the dock, but was often unable to speak as prosecutor Miranda Moore took her through her detailed police statement, confirming it was accurate by nods.

Walking from Welwyn Garden City to Hatfield, she was grabbed from behind and violently pulled through a hedge by her long hair on to a golf course.

Ms Moore said: "Did you think he was going to kill you?" The victim replied: Yes'.

He made her take off her clothes, forced her to her knees, and raped her.

The victim, whimpering with fear, asked her attacker to wear a condom, but he refused, saying: "I am clean I have got four children."

He asked her if she had climaxed, and she said she had "I thought it would keep him sweet," she explained.

After the rape, he told her he had a gun and she should lie on the ground as he escaped.

The victim managed to flag a car down and was taken to Hatfield police station.

Ms Moore asked: "Has this had a terrible effect on you?," and she sobbed: Yes'.

A semen stain found by police on her jumper provides a DNA match for Anthia, and defence barrister Andrew Bright suggested it could have got there in some other way.

She has admitted taking crack cocaine and cannabis, and he asked whether she had ever taken money for sex to fund a drug habit.

She replied indignantly: "No that the rape is the only way it got there."

Mr Bright suggested the stain could have been on the jumper before she wore it that night, but she said she thought it had been recently washed.

She borrowed it that night from a friend who has also been called as a prosecution witness.

The victim told police her attacker had an accent she thought was Russian, although 35-year-old Anthia, who lives in West Green Road, Harringay, is Greek Cypriot.

She told the jury her attacker wore a glove, which Ms Moore argues was a ruse to hide a deformity, and she described his mobile phone.

The trial for 15 charges, including ten counts of rape, is expected to last at least until the end of the month.