In April, Niklas Eliasson, known in the press as the “Örebro rapist”, was found guilty by the Örebro District Court of 14 of the 18 assaults on women for which he had been charged.

After going through a psychiatric examination he had been found not to suffer from any serious psychiatric disorder and could therefore be sent to prison according to Swedish sentencing guidelines.

In addition to the prison sentence, Eliasson was ordered to pay 732,000 kronor ($115,000) to the victims, as well as 50,000 kronor to the Swedish crime victims’ fund (Brottsoffermyndigheten).

The arrest of 24-year-old Eliasson last autumn was a relief for many Örebro residents who had lived in fear as police continued their search for the man behind a series of brutal rapes, which had been carried out over a period of several years.

The charges against the Eliasson included eight cases of attempted rape or aggravated rape, three charges of aggravated rape, two cases of assault, two cases of sexual molestation, one charge of robbery and one relating to weapons offences.

All of the offences were committed in Örebro in eastern Sweden between 2005-2010. Eliasson admitted to all the crimes, but has found it hard to explain why he committed them.

During interviews with investigators, Eliasson said he planned on killing several people before taking his own life.

He also told police that he started “stalking” people when he was only 13-years-old, explaining that his behaviour was a way to pass the time and that it began after his parents got divorced.

Eliasson also said that he had trouble fitting in school and, unable to find friends, he instead spent most of his free time on his computer and exploring cyberspace.

Surfing the internet for porn became one of his biggest hobbies, he told investigators.