Billie-Jo Jenkins pictured a short time before her murder.
At the time of Billie-Jo’s murder, Imiela only had convictions for armed robbery and theft in 1997 and his name never came up as a potential sex attacker.
But police were unaware the psychopath had brutally raped Sheila Jankowitz, 29, at South London in 1987.
The mum-of-two was murdered in South Africa in 2006. But Imiela was convicted at the Old Bailey last month of her rape thanks to DNA and caged for 12 years.
The court heard he dragged Sheila on to waste ground where he battered her and threatened to kill her with a brick.
Police were also unaware Imiela knew the park opposite the home Billie-Jo shared with Sion and Lois Jenkins and their daughters Annie, 12, Lottie, 10, Esther, nine, and Maya, seven.
The youngster had complained to friends about being stalked by a man in a leather jacket from December 1996.
Imiela’s neighbours confirmed he wore such an item of clothing at the time.
Billie-Jo was battered to death at around 3.30pm on Saturday, February 15, 1997, when the rapist had already become a regular visitor to Hastings, which is 20 miles from Appledore.
His unsuspecting girlfriend Christine had lived two roads away from the victim’s home. At the time she would visit her cousin Clare Wilson’s home regularly which was less than two miles away.
Imiela moved to Appledore in 1996 after eight years in jail for armed robbery. His confidence and easy charm attracted Christine who was working as cleaner in the home of deputy mayor Barry Wright where the rapist was lodging.
They became lovers while she was living with her husband and married in 1997. Imiela ran a bric-a-brac shop in Rye, 12 miles from Hastings, before moving into Christine’s home.
