A former sports coach who carried out numerous sex attacks in south London will remain behind bars after his move to an open prison was rejected by a Parole Board.

Kirk Reid was jailed for life in 2009 after he carried out 28 attacks on 27 women, including two rapes, between 1995 and 2007.

A judge said she was also convinced Reid was responsible for a 1984 rape which was admitted in evidence but not included as a charge against him.

Reid stalked women mainly around the Balham, Clapham and Tooting areas of south London.

The case sparked outrage after it emerged that he had come to the attention of police 12 times before he was arrested and charged.

The Metropolitan Police was forced to apologise to his victims after it was disclosed he was not arrested until four years after he became a suspect.

The latest Parole Board review for Reid was carried out between September last year and March this year.

A summary of the decision by the Parole Board panel, published on Wednesday, said it would not be safe to release Reid or to move him to open prison.

It set out risk factors including that, at the time of his crimes, the 59-year-old had believed “he could have sex as and when he wanted”.

The decision summary said: “Mr Reid had sought control over his victims, using violence and looking to exert humiliation and gain power over them.

“He had experienced difficulties in his relationships and could feel lonely as well as vengeful.

“He had also experienced problems in managing extremes of emotion, including feelings of rejection or abandonment.

“Generally, Mr Reid had not dealt well enough with life’s problems.”

However the panel found that, while in prison, Reid had taken part in programmes designed to deal with his behaviour and had a “strong motivation to pursue an offence-free life”.