A STRING of unsolved rape cases is to be reopened after a hooded attacker was jailed for 20 years last night.

Timothy Din, 44, wore a black balaclava as he selected slim young women with shoulder-length hair in frighteningly similar strikes only a mile-and-a-half apart on Teesside.

Police discovered that Din, a married-father-of-five with a mistress and an insatiable sexual appetite, carefully planned his attacks, swooping on his victims when they were at their most vulnerable after building up a picture of their lifestyles.

Burmese-born Din, of Yoevil Walk, Hartlepool, was first arrested on suspicion of rape in 1991 but released.

Five of his Teesside victims were asleep in homes in Thornaby.

Aidan Marron, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court how on two occasions the taxi fleet mechanic found his victims asleep with young children and threatened to harm the youngsters in a bid to force the women into submission.

He also took souvenirs from the scenes of his attacks - a dressing gown and nightshirt and a pair of earrings.

Police investigating the attacks, between November 1999 and December 2000, later found the earrings at his home.

Din, whose girlfriend was in court throughout his eight-day trial, sexually and physically attacked his victims.

Four of them fought back or managed to make enough noise to force him to run off.

Din was nearly caught in December 2000, when he went into the home of a 27-year-old woman in the early hours. She returned home with her boyfriend at 4.45am and found him lurking in the back garden.

The boyfriend ripped off Din's balaclava during a scuffle and Din escaped, but DNA evidence from saliva identified him.

Din had claimed in court that he found the balaclava in the street and had used it when he went stealing diesel fuel from lorries in Thornaby.

Yesterday, he was found guilty of rape, three attempted rapes, and burglary with intent to rape.

Din was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Din's wife, Lynne,was not in court when he was sentenced, but his blonde girlfriend was. After the verdict he repeatedly mouthed at her: "I didn't do it," but she responded: "Yes, you did."

After the case, Acting Detective Superintendent Stewart Swinson said a number of unsolved rapes in the Cleveland area would now be looked at again.

"At the time of these attacks there was a genuine fear in the community," he said.

He paid tribute to Din's victims for their bravery in giving evidence.

The victims - who were aged 15, 18, 23 and 22 at the time of the attacks - have become close friends. They said they had been convinced that Din was going to be found not guilty.

"I thought he was going to get away with it - I think we are all still in shock," said one.

They hoped their cases should encourage other rape victims to come forward.

The attacks had changed their lives.

"I used to be a real party animal but I don't go out half as much as I used to. I don't do what normal girls do," one said.

Another added: "I have got kids and I won't let them out of my sight - they have to play out where I can see them."