A13 rapist: Man who led the hunt for rapist

Here, in his own words, he describes how this has been an inquiry he won't forget:

"We had no indication that First telephone call in the early hours of August 31 last year was going to result in such a massive investigation spanning three police forces and involving dozens of officers.

"The details we were given by that devastated 15-year-old girl were absolutely awful - it was a horrendous attack which was so serious it demanded an immediate and massive investigation in its own right.

"Within two weeks another two incidents came to light - their similarities so great that in my opinion they could only have been committed by the same man.

"From the information given to us by those two victims it became clear this was a man whose terrifying first words were that he would kill.

"It was a case of total control from the word go by the offender.

"During the second incident at the underpass in Queensway, Southend, on September 12, the victim was only saved from a worse ordeal by her boyfriend's courageous actions.

"But we knew her attacker had been willing to argue and even fight.

"The fact he had been discovered attempting to attack a 16-year-old girl didn't put him off.

"Just hours later another attack was reported - this time on a 21-year-old woman in Beedell Avenue, Westcliff.

"The man's approach was the same - his defenceless victim was left in no doubt that she would be killed if she didn't co-operate.

"With three victims in 12 days it was becoming plainly obvious that we had a very serious problem on our hands.

"We suspected the same man was responsible for all three incidents - clearly a very dangerous individual."

When an initiative using decoys failed to flush out the attacker, Det Supt Bright decided the time was right to ask for the public's help.

Operation Monarch was launched at Southend police station on November 5 last year.

"First we had to try and establish if the attacker was local to the town or a visitor.

"If he was local then I knew we could expect more similar attacks, with, if possible, an even more frightening result - the death of a victim.

"We started to trawl for similar offences outside Essex and discovered two others - the rape of an 18-year-old girl in Brighton and the rape of a 26-year-old woman in St John's Wood, north London.

"The offences were officially linked. We knew then this was a man who had to be caught because he was not going to stop."

The inquiry expanded to involve Essex, Sussex and the Metropolitan police forces.

At its height there were 42 police officers and five civilian support staff working flat out.

Eventually brutal attacks on 12 young women aged 15 to 35 between May and December last year were officially linked.

Baker was arrested in the early hours of December 16 and later charged with four counts of rape, six of indecent assault, an attempted indecent assault, an assault causing actual bodily harm and an affray.

Det Supt Bright added: "We have had 12 women suffer very badly at the hands of this man. I would like to think that the police, and in particular Monarch officers, have done their very best for them and will continue to do so for as long as it takes."

Fears of a killing - Det Supt David Bright

Dealing with victims of sex attacks

It is hard to even begin to imagine what sex fiend Baker put his young victims through.

Chosen carefully - all had to fit his strict "desire criteria" - they were guilty only of being slim and pretty with long dark hair and of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Words cannot do justice to the unimaginable terror he struck into their lives and the depravity of the attacks.

As each woman was grabbed around the neck in a stranglehold she was told she would be killed if she fought back - they were in no doubt Baker meant every word.

As Baker told the jury: " I wanted to be in total control. I terrorised these girls - I know I did."

The young women were then subjected to horrific and degrading ordeals which shattered their lives.

For eight months Baker stalked the streets of Southend, London and Brighton. It was a reign of terror which has earned him notoriety as one of Britain's most prolific serial sex attackers.

His victims are still trying to come to terms with the havoc he wreaked on their young lives. One of his victims has been forced to flee to safety leaving her home, job and friends behind.

She was terrified Baker - who knew where she lived - would return.

Another re-lives her torture every time she leaves for work and has to pass the place where she was attacked.

Det Con Angie Scothern has been helping five of Baker's 12 known victims to try and come to terms with what has happened to them.

She said: "These women don't want pity, they want justice. They want to be listened to and understood.

"All have shown amazing strength of character - they refuse to let what has happened to them ruin their lives.

"These attacks were horrific - not just physically, but mentally as well - these were terrible things he made them do under threat of death."

There are striking similarities in the way Baker's victims are trying to cope.

Whether they were subjected to rape or indecent assault, all now harbour the same fears.

Det Con Scothern said: "They know the man that attacked them has been caught but they are still living their lives looking over their shoulders.

"Any and every man is still seen by them as a potential threat."

One woman victim said in her statement: "It sort of made me feel better that he had been caught but I am now more wary of everyone."

There is also a feeling of guilt by those women subjected to "lesser" attacks.

Det Con Scothern said: "It is sad that the woman who managed to fight Baker off now feels guilty because she knows there are others who have suffered worse."

The women also have their own way of coping with their dealings with the police.

Det Con Scothern added: "One of the women would be quite happy never to see me again as I remind her of what has happened.

"Every time she sees me it brings it all back for her. Others contact me if they need me and there are those who want to talk it through. It is vital I am able to recognise which it is they want."

Caring for the victims of sexual attacks - Det Con Angie Scothern

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.