A "MERCILESS" sex attacker who bundled his victims into a van and raped them on Saddleworth Moor has been given nine life sentences.

Charles Smith preyed on prostitutes in the Manchester area and took them to the "sinister, dark, barren location" where they thought they were going to be killed.

Three Bolton prostitutes were among his victims.

Some of Smith's victims, who were sitting at the back of Manchester Crown Court as he was sentenced, rushed forward screaming "Beast" as he was led down to the cells.

Judge David Maddison told him: "Driven trussed up to that remote, dark, barren location, it is no surprise to realise that some, if not all, probably thought they were about to die at your hands.

"You were merciless. You ignored their screams, their tears and their cries."

Smith on Wednesday admitted nine counts of rape involving five women - and a further assault on a sixth prostitute who managed to escape - between February and May this year.

Judge Maddison ordered that he serve at least eight years and 10 months behind bars before he could be considered for release.

The court heard that Smith approached his victims in his blue Renault van as if he were a normal customer, agreeing to pay them for sex.

But once they were in the van, he threatened them with a knife, claw hammer or scissors, and tied them up. While they were bound and gagged, he then drove to Saddleworth Moor to subject them to prolonged sexual attacks.

In one case, Smith opened the back door of the van to show his victim what a desolate place they were in.

Saddleworth Moor was the burial ground for children killed by Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.

After raping his victims, he dropped them off near to where he had originally picked them up, telling them he had cancer in an attempt to gain sympathy and persuade them not to report what he had done.

On several occasions, Smith stopped at a cash machine, withdrew money and paid the woman the previously agreed price.

He was caught on May 11 after one prostitute managed to note his registration number.

In the most horrifying of the attacks, a Bolton prostitute was picked up by Smith in Weston Street at 9.45am on May 6 before being driven to the Raikes Lane industrial estate.

Richard Vardon, prosecuting, said Smith then produced a claw hammer and held it to the woman's head.

The court heard how the woman begged for her life, saying: "Please don't hurt me. I only got raped five weeks ago."

But Smith threatened to "smash her head in" and drove her to Saddleworth where she was raped three times before being driven back to Bolton.

Smith had already carried out four almost identical attacks, twice on women from Bolton in February and March. and twice on women from Cheetham Hill in March and May.

Detectives fear many more women may not have reported attacks.

Smith, originally from Dublin, was living at a friend's house in Chorlton, Manchester, at the time of the attacks.

He has a previous conviction for raping a prostitute in 2000, and for sex attacks on boys dating to the 1970s.

Detective Inspector Mark Bell, of north Manchester CID said: "This man is responsible for some horrific, vicious attacks and rapes on women across Manchester, Bolton and Preston.

"He preyed on vulnerable women who he did not think would have the confidence to contact the police."