POLICE have not ruled out that there may be other victims of a dangerous rapist who has been jailed for a knifepoint attack decades after it happened.

Christopher Clark admitted attacking Yolande Jenkins when she was on her way to work in September 17 1985.

The 68-year-old gained notoriety in the 1980s for a string of violent sex attacks which took place across the UK, including in South Benfleet, and it is thought this latest conviction was the first instance of rape.

Ms Jenkins, who is now known as Yolande Kennedy and lives in America, bravely waived her anonymity and has spoken about the attack in a bid to encourage other women to report similar crimes.

Essex Police’s Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings commended her for her bravery and said the force has not ruled out that other victims could be out there.

He said: “There is a chance there are other victims of Clark’s out there. He is a serial offender and a dangerous man. He’s been in prison for some years now so it would be around that time and there is a chance there are other victims who we would urge to come forward.

“I hope this is an example of the kind of system we have in place and how the support network allows them to work with us and help with the judicial process.”

On Monday, Clark was sentenced to serve 13 years with a further five on licence for the horrific attack which saw him grab the then 18-year-old Ms Jenkins, drag her at knife-point into a North Stifford farm yard and rape her.

Clark, who was already serving a life sentence for a separate conviction for sexual assault, was linked to the case thanks to advances in DNA technology.

Ms Jenkins, who is 51, faced her attacker in court and told him in detail how he had changed her life.

The mother-of-two now wants to try and get something positive out of the terrible ordeal.

She said: “It’s very difficult. There’s a lot of women out there who have been too scared to come forward, who are not believed or who don’t trust who they are talking to and there are women who have not made it out alive so I want to be a voice for them as well.

“If it just helps one person then I’ve done what I want to do. I just want to get it out there.”