CRUCIAL German evidence files that could help in the investigation into the past of York rapist Andrew Rome have not been seen for 20 years.

Police officers in Berlin handed over everything they had gathered about a mystery "Sex Gangster", thought to be behind a string of attacks on women in 1984, to British Military Police that same year.

A Berlin police spokesman told the Evening Press that the apparent loss of the information was a "pity", but officers were still trying to help their English colleagues by contacting victims and witnesses.

He said that news of Rome's imprisonment for raping a Heworth woman while on leave from Berlin had been welcomed by a German woman who accused him of a similar crime in Berlin only months later.

In a further twist, it has become clear that, even if further crimes are uncovered, Rome is unlikely to face prosecution in Germany, because of the delay in bringing him to justice.

Under German law, offences punishable by a maximum jail term of more than five years, but not more than ten, such as rape and other sexual offences, must be prosecuted within ten years.

The Berlin police spokesman said: "It's impossible to look at these cases again because there are no files.

"There are no pictures or information about these cases from 1984.

"At that time (part of) Berlin was under the government of the British and American forces and this has been dealt with under military justice.

"All files have been given to the British military." The Army has declined to comment on the developments because Rome is the subject of an ongoing police investigation.

Yesterday the Evening Press revealed how York detectives are co-ordinating extensive inquiries with eight other forces across the UK to see if Rome can be linked with any other crimes - but so far no such links have been found.

He is this week starting a six-and-a-half-year jail term, after he admitted raping the young York woman at her Heworth home in January 1984, while visiting his then wife's parents in Osbaldwick.

Detectives said that three months later he was accused of raping an 18-year-old Berlin woman, in similar circumstances, but was acquitted by a military court.

He was first arrested after being caught by a gang of vigilante women residents, who were patrolling the streets in the wake of a number of attacks and reports of a "Peeping Tom" prowler.

Detective Sergeant Nigel Costello, of York CID, said officers planned to visit Rome in prison as soon as possible to see if he is willing to provide more information about his past activities.

Updated: 09:24 Saturday, February 05, 2005