A GRANDMOTHER spoke of her relief at hearing that a rapist who brutally assaulted her over a three-year period has lost his appeal against conviction.

The woman, who was the victim of vicious sex attacks by 6ft 5in Trevor Masters, has relived the nightmare ordeal in flashbacks while waiting for the appeal to be held.

Masters, 51, a garage worker formerly of Market Street, Blaenavon, was convicted in his absence of nine separate sexual and violent assaults, including rape, after fleeing to France during his trial in 2000. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail for the assaults and a further nine months for absconding.

Yesterday, an Appeal Court in London turned down the Masters' appeal on the grounds that mistakes made by the trial judge would not have altered the eventual verdict.

The grandmother, who cannot be named, told the Argus: "It is an absolute relief to hear the appeal failed.

"It's been a nightmare waiting for the result. It's like reliving it all again and I was terrified he would get out.

"I have had dreadful flashbacks and I can't even say his name." The victim said her emotional scars would never heal.

The charges against Masters related to attacks on two women and two girls aged ten and 15.

At the Appeal Court Mr Justice Moses said the trial judge made an error in ruling a particular aspect of the evidence of a defence character witness as "inadmissible" .

But he said: "We are satisfied that the only reasonable and proper verdict would nevertheless have been one of guilty."

He turned down an application to reduce the 12-year sentence for the assaults. Mr Justice Moses, however, reduced the nine-month sentence given for absconding to four months as he had already served 21 months in custody in a French prison.

Afterwards Detective Inspector Mike Jones said: "Justice has now been completed with the guilty verdict being upheld.

"He was clearly a dangerous individual who the public need protecting from. I am pleased to say they will remain safe for the next 12 years." A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service in Gwent said: "We are happy with the decision from the Court of Appeal."