CONVICTED rapist Trevor Masters was due to hear today whether he will be released from prison in France.

Masters, originally from Blaenavon, has been in prison in Pau since a ten-month manhunt ended when he was discovered in a cyber-caf in south-west France. He had jumped bail while facing charges at Cardiff crown court, for which he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in his absence.

Masters appeared before the court of appeal in Bordeaux yesterday in an attempt to secure bail. His lawyer, Claude Garcia, said he was expecting the judgment some time today.

In the meantime Masters was taken back to prison in Pau. Previous attempts to secure bail have failed.

Mr Garcia told the Argus that Masters was committed to fight extradition back to Britain, where he would have to serve the 12-year sentence imposed after he was found guilty of nine charges including rape, indecent assault and causing actual bodily harm over a 20-year period.

He was also found guilty of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 16. Mr Garcia said that the various appeal channels open to his client meant it could be up to eight months before Masters returns to Wales.

But Detective Inspector Mike Jones, the officer in charge of the Masters case, said he hoped he would soon get the call to collect Masters and bring him back to Wales. "I'm hoping it shouldn't be too long before we can collect him and bring him back to justice," he said.

Masters was living with his girlfriend in Pau at the time he was found. Friends have set up the Trevor Masters French Support Group and launched websites and internet chat forums proclaiming his innocence.