A Somalian carried out a campaign of violent knifepoint rapes on prostitutes in a Birmingham suburb, it was alleged at the city's crown court yesterday.

Dahir Ibrahim attacked eight victims all in the Edgbaston area between March 2003 and September last year, it was claimed.

Ibrahim (21), of Norton Close, Smethwick, has denied 11 charges of rape, two of wounding, one charge of attempted rape and carrying an offensive weapon.

Christopher Hotten, QC, prosecuting said all the women were addicted to hard drugs and that many of them knew each other because they all worked in the same part of the city.

"It is our case that Ibrahim in effect conducted a campaign of violent knifepoint rapes," he said.

Mr Hotten said Ibrahim attacked his first victim in March 2003 who has since died.

He said she had been standing by a phone box in Icknield Port Road, when she was approached by Ibrahim and agreed to give him oral sex in exchange for £30.

Mr Hotten said they went to the Edgbaston Reservoir where he then produced a knife which he put to her throat.

He took the money back off her, forced her to the ground and then raped her, it is alleged.

Mr Hotten said a woman who heard the victim screams from her home called the police who discovered Ibrahim nearby. He said Ibrahim was not charged because the victim did not then make a rape complaint.

However, he said, she did make the allegation in October 2005 when she also said that in another incident in February 2004 Ibrahim had seen her in a phone-box, threatened to kill her and struck her across the face.

"She said she believed other prostitutes she named had been attacked by the same man and so it was that police enquiries widened," said Mr Hotten.

He said Ibrahim's final victim was a 43 year old prostitute who he had approached on the Hagley Road in September last year.

They agreed to have full sex for £15 but no money was exchanged when they went to a car park Ibrahim produced a knife, threatened to cut the woman and then raped her.

The trial continues.