A DJ who became infamous as one of Britain's worst sex offenders is not safe to be released from prison, it has been ruled.

Richard Baker, who was jailed in 1999 for a string of rapes and other sex crimes, has been denied parole.

Baker was 33 when he attacked young women and girls in London, Essex and Sussex – threatening to kill them if they called the police.

He was handed four life sentences, weeping as a judge descried him as "depraved and wicked" and a danger to women.

In 2016, Baker, from Bodmin, Cornwall, received a further six years on his sentence for possessing and making indecent images of children.

The Argus: Richard Baker is one of Britain's worst sex offenders Richard Baker is one of Britain's worst sex offenders

A hearing last month considered evidence from officials, medical experts and victims with a parole board "not satisfied that Mr Baker was suitable for release".

A document detailing the decision said: "Although Mr Baker's prison conduct had been generally good, there was also broad agreement amongst all the witnesses that he was not yet suitable to be released on licence.

"And he was not recommended for transfer to an open prison."

Baker, 56, has already spent a further nine years behind bars and this is his third time before the board.

Despite taking part in work to address his behaviour while in jail, the board ruled that there had been "little progress" since the last review.

The board decided that more work was "necessary".

He will be eligible for another parole review in due course.