A RAPIST who left a trail of fear and misery was jailed for 18 years at Manchester Crown Court today.

Chef Philip Harries-Jones was trapped by a vigilant security guard who read an interview in the Manchester Evening News with one of the victims.

Harries-Jones, a 43-year-old father-of-one from Hurdsfield Road, Stockport, had pleaded guilty to two rapes and one indecent assault at an earlier hearing.

One of his victims stormed out of court in anger when Judge Stewart Fish announced he would not be imposing a life sentence.

The judge said: ''These offences were characterised by stalking, violence and then horrendous rape, which indicated you had little or no regard for your victims. You have entered pleas of guilty and I have been urged to give you credit for your pleas.''

Harries-Jones was ordered to be given an extended licence period of observation for seven years following his release and was ordered to be placed on the sex offender register for life.

The 6ft 4in rapist was trapped by DNA samples taken from a 25-year-old graduate who was attacked in Portwood, Stockport in 1999. The police database showed the rapist had carried out two other attacks in 1995.

On October 14, 1995, a 19-year-old woman was attacked near Burnage Hall Road, Burnage, in Manchester. Six weeks later, a 20-year-old woman walking home along Milwain Road in Burnage was ordered to undress and was then raped.

When the Stockport victim bravely gave an interview to the M.E.N. the police also released an artist's impression of the rapist - and the public response was overwhelming.

Security guard Mike Buffey, who was commended by Judge Fish, helped trap Harries-Jones after spotting the figure of an anxious woman on a CCTV camera on Princess Street in Stockport.

A motorcyclist pictured at the bottom of the screen appeared to be following the woman. Mr Buffey remembered the M.E.N. article and noted the bike's registration - which led police to Harries-Jones.

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