A serial rapist who admitted raping an unconscious woman and trying to break into three homes to commit further attacks was today spared further punishment.

Keith Fenton, 38, of Osterley Park Road, Southall, was handed an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection at Kingston Crown Court in November 2008 for a string of attacks.

They included sexual assault, false imprisonment and aggravated burglary. At the time he was given a 15 year minimum term, making him eligible for release in mid 2016.

At Kingston Crown Court today he was told by Judge Charles Tilling, who passed down the original sentence and came out of retirement to hear the case, that term would not be extended.

Rosina Cottage, prosecuting, told the court about the series of offences carried out by Fenton.

The court heard he had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 1998 for raping an eight-and-a-half month pregnant woman and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old. He was recalled on licence in 2006 to complete that term after early release for an unspecified reason.

In November 2008 he was jailed for the attack on a 70-year-old Kew woman.

Ms Cottage told the court he broke into the victim's house, stripped her at knife point and sexually assaulted her. She said while in prison he told police about further attacks.

The court heard he was in a relationship with a woman and in the summer of 2008 they had been drinking and she passed out he cut off her pants and t-shirt and raped her.

"He put her pants in his pocket and left,” added Ms Cottage.

He also admitted three counts of attempted trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence - which all took place in Kew.

The court heard on May 16, 2008, he tried to break into a house with a screwdriver. On a separate occasion, at some point between March 6 and June 22, 2008, he tried to get into a property by removing putty from around a window and in another by climbing up a lightning conductor and attempting to enter through an open window.

The court heard one of the potential victims was a mother sleeping with her baby and another was a teenager.

Kim Chiswick, Fenton’s barrister, said he was making strides towards understanding why he offended and putting it right.

“He felt he needed to come clean [about his previous offences] before he could complete his treatment successfully,” she added.

When sentencing two years ago Judge Tilling said the offences were dreadful and he should serve longer than the seven-and-a-half year minimum term.

He said this morning he did not want repeat his comments but Fenton was a man with a “very high risk of offending again in a sexual way”.

He added: “The parole board need to look very closely at whether you are ready for release and no longer represent a serious risk.

“I have come to conclusion there is a glimmer of light as you have started a sex offenders programme, that is to be encouraged.”

He imposed sentences to run concurrently with the original terms, meaning Fenton will be eligible for release in less than six years.

Lead officer in the case, Detective Sergeant Dave Bolton, from Richmond's violent and sexual crime unit, said: "Fenton is an extremely dangerous sex offender who was deliberately targeting vulnerable women in their own homes.

"Considering that in 2008 he reoffended within weeks of his release from his last 10 year prison sentence for rape meant that he posed such a risk to the public that further prosecution was in the public interest regardless of his already lengthy sentence.

"Richmond's violent and sexual crime team worked hard to present evidence that left Fenton no option but to plead to these further offences."

Borough commander Chief Superintendent Clive Chalk said: "These incidents are extremely rare and Richmond remains one of the safest boroughs in London.

"However, when something like this happens we will pursue the offender relentlessly to restore the public confidence."