The youth, who was 15-years-old at the time of his arrest on November 13th, is suspected of following women to their apartments, ringing their doorbells, and forcing his way into their homes in the Johanneberg, Guldheden, Krokslätt and Majorna neighbourhoods in central Gothenburg.

On Wednesday morning, prosecutor Per-Erik Rinsell filed charges against the teen on 15 counts of sexual assault and two counts of assaulting a public servant.

Six of the crimes involve rape or attempted rape, while the remaining nine involve sexual assault.

At the time of the attacks, which took place over a 10-week span last autumn, the now 16-year-old was serving time at the Fagared institutionalized youth care facility and taking part in an apprentice programme at a car repair shop located near where the victims lived, the Göteborgs-Posten (GP) newspaper reported.

During his lunch breaks, the youth would hop on his bicycle to nearby residential areas, follow women up to their apartments and sexually assault them.

Social workers believe the teen, who was first reported to police at the age of eleven, carries out his acts in an impulsive manner, only to confess to them like a child when confronted.

In July 2009, he was convicted for stealing 500 kronor ($70) from another teen and for having headbutted a caregiver at Fagared, GP reports.

The 16-year-old’s parents tell the newspaper they’ve felt powerless to care for the youth, having had many of their appeals for help from social services rejected.

Since the boy’s arrest, the family has been living in an undisclosed location in order to avoid reprisals.