A TV director who helped catch Radcliffe rapist George Heyes has told of her disgust that he could be freed in less than seven years.

Yesterday we revealed that former fire officer Heyes, who was sacked from his job as acting Assistant Divisional Officer for Greater Manchester Fire Service, had been given a life sentence after an 18-month reign of terror when he committed a series of rapes and sex attacks.

But a further court ruling means that Heyes, of Bamburgh Close, Radcliffe, could be eligible to apply for parole in just six years, five months.

Today Joanne Nelson, who chased Heyes after he indecently exposed himself to her at Entwistle Reservoir, spoke of her horror that the pervert could be freed so soon.

Her courageous chase led to Heyes's arrest and DNA evidence obtained linked him to a rape and indecent assault which he pleaded guilty to earlier this year.

He was further convicted of a second rape and two more indecent assaults following a four-day trial at Manchester Crown Court in March.

Joanne, who works as an assistant director on the hit TV soap Brookside, said: "If he comes out at that time then I think the law is an ass. Life should mean life.

"I think the longer he spends in prison, the better and the less women will be at risk. With me it's a personal thing because of what he did.

"But what I went through is nothing in comparison to what those other girls suffered. I can't begin to imagine how they must be feeling knowing he could be released at that time.

"I'm very angry and as far as I'm concerned he can rot in hell. People who commit burglaries can serve longer times than that. Heyes is a sex offender, he's a danger to women.

"I just feel proud that I was able to do something and stood up to him and he was caught. It will be a great result if he stays inside."

In April 2000 Heyes was convicted of indecent exposure and sacked from his £30,000 a year fire brigade job.

Terror

As Heyes was given two life sentences for the rape of two teenagers -- aged 16 and 18 -- and further concurrent sentences for indecent assaults on victims aged 14, 18 and 26, judge Mr Justice Penry-Davey spoke of the terror the father-of-one had subjected the women and girls to.

Heyes, who became a fireman when he was 21, had carried out the attacks following the death of his father and the breakdown of his 10-year marriage, the court was told.

Stephen Meadowcroft, defending, said: "He turned to drink. Everything began to go wrong. Then for a period of about 18 months he committed these dreadful offences."

Mr Meadowcroft revealed that family and friends had also submitted letters of support for Heyes to the judge.

But psychiatric reports from an expert revealed that Heyes was still in "denial" about some of the attacks which "places him at a high risk of further similar offending".

Mr Justice Penry-Davey concluded that Heyes would likely prove to be a serious danger to women for an indeterminate time.

Sentencing Heyes, he added: "Over a period of 18 months from mid-1996 onwards you planned and carried out an appalling series of callous, violent and terrifying sexual attacks on lone women at night.

"You were determined to attack women regardless of their age."

The 44-year-old convicted serial attacker, dressed in jeans and a light green shirt, showed no emotion as sentence was passed.

Today a spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire Service said: "George Heyes in no longer employed by this brigade and therefore it is not appropriate for us to comment."