Guilty: Mehdi Midani has been convicted of assaulting a string of women in South London

A serial sex attacker is set to be jailed after he was convicted of attacking a string of women over a 10-day spree in South London just months after he arrived in the UK.

Mehdi Midani, 28, followed eight women as they walked home at night then groped some on their doorstep and slapped the buttocks of others.

He was apprehended after police raised the alarm about his behaviour and released CCTV footage of one of the attacks.

On Tuesday Midani was convicted of six counts of sexual assault and one count of common assault and pleaded guilty to a further count of sexual assault at Inner London Crown Court.

The court heard that he entered Britain via Ireland after leaving his native Algeria and that his immigration sentence is currently 'unknown' - but it is believed he may have entered illegally and the Home Office will seek his deportation once he has been sentenced.

At 9pm on October 22 last year he followed a woman up the road in Brixton before touching her backside and reaching up her dress, prompting her to shout: 'What the f***, I don't know you!'

Four days later he attacked two women in the space of an hour - he put his hand between a woman's leg then ran off, and later followed another victim home, dragged her to the floor and tried to kiss her.

Two days later Midani - who moved to Britain from Algeria earlier in the year - attacked four women in a four-hour period.

At 7.20pm Midani followed a 28-year-old woman as she walked home in Brixton, before grabbing her inside the communal hallway of her property and groping her breasts.

Midani then carried out the common assault by grabbing a 29-year-old woman near her home at 9.24pm.

Caught on camera: CCTV footage showed Midani attacking a woman as she was entering her home

At 10.20pm he pushed a 31-year-old woman into a block of flats and sexually assaulted her before running away, and an hour later put his hand up the skirt of a 32-year-old.

Three days later on 31 October Midani attacked a woman in the same area, slapping her on the buttocks before fleeing when she called for help.

He is facing a hefty jail sentence when he is sentenced on May 26.

At a previous court hearing Charlotte Chirico, prosecuting said that Midani's immigration status was unknown but added: 'He's only been in the UK for a few months.'

Found: A public appeal featuring the CCTV video led to Midani being caught and convicted

Detective Constable Tony Carr of the Metropolitan Police said: 'Midani caused enormous fear and distress to the local community as he carried out his spate of attacks, with four recorded in just one day.

'A public appeal was crucial to our investigation and led to information being provided that quickly led to Midani's arrest.

'I would like to thank the local community for their support and help during our inquiry and hope they are reassured by the news that Midani has now been convicted and faces imprisonment.'

Three other men who were arrested during the Scotland Yard investigation have been released without charge and told they will face no further action.

A Home Office spokesman person said: 'Foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes in the UK should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them.

'We will use every available power to take action against those foreign criminals who cause significant problems in the UK, including those from countries within the European Union.