Serial killer Umesh Reddy, who has been charged with the rapes and murders of several women, was on Wednesday sentenced to death by the Karnataka High Court.

Reddy, an ex-police constable, gained notoriety for his sex crimes, raping women even after murdering them.

Special judge S R Bannurmath, a senior High Court judge, while pronouncing the verdict, termed Reddy as a violent offender and described the case as 'rarest of the rare' and deserving the death sentence.

"In this case, he is an ex-policeman who has become a habitual pervert, who not only commits robbery but also to satisfy his lust, attacks helpless women and commits rape," the judge said.

A lower court in 2006 had awarded him the death sentence. But a year later, a two-member bench of the High Court expressed a divergent view -- one favouring the death sentence and another life term on an appeal by Reddy.

This led to the constitution of a special judge, Justice S R Bannurmath, who pronounced the verdict today.

Reddy faced 21 criminal cases, of which he was acquitted in 11. The remaining nine related to rape, murder and robbery.