Latest news with #sexualpredator
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Predator, 66, who posed as an Uber driver and had a 'rape kit' with a balaclava and Viagra in his car is found guilty of kidnapping and sex crimes
A predator who posed as an Uber driver to pick up 'vulnerable and intoxicated' women he could abuse has been found guilty of kidnapping and sex crimes for a second time. Graham Head, 68, was found with a 'rape kit' consisting of latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava in his car when he was arrested in November 2022. At his home, police found business cards advertising him as a 'N-Uber driver' with the slogan 'Safe and Reliable - For All Occasions' emblazoned underneath one of his phone numbers. Head kidnapped and attempted to rape a 25-year-old woman after he offered her a free ride home in his silver Mercedes in the early hours of November 18, 2022. He also assaulted a 19-year-old woman by penetration in a separate attack. In July 2023, Head from Pevensey, East Sussex, was handed a 23-year sentence for sex crimes and kidnapping. The Court of Appeal later overturned the conviction in November last year following a complaint from Head relating to the judge who presided over the original trial. Now, today he has been convicted of all the charges again by a jury of seven men and five women after eight hours of deliberation at Lewes Crown Court. During the trial, jurors heard that Head was a 'sexual predator' who 'slipped up' the night he was arrested by police. He claimed that he offered the 25-year-old a lift home but did not touch her and never met his other alleged victim. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said: 'The defendant is a sexual predator. Basing himself in Pevensey and ostensibly working as an unofficial Uber driver or taxi driver. 'He was also looking for vulnerable young women who he could sexually abuse. 'He carried Viagra and condoms with him, either on his person or in his car, as well as latex gloves. 'He would use the latex gloves to minimise the risk of leaving traces of his DNA on his victims.' Head had two mobile phones and was 'savvy enough' to know that if he kept them on while he was driving, the network provider could record his movements. He therefore kept them on flight mode while he was searching for victims, the court was told. The two attacks are said to have taken place in the early hours of August 19, 2022, in Hove Park and on November 18, 2022 outside the alleged victim's home. Mr Jarvis said: 'Now in August 2022, she (the first victim) was 19 years old. When she was, we say, intoxicated and vulnerable in the early hours of the morning the defendant sexually assaulted her in Hove Park.' 'In November 2022, she (the second victim) was 25 years old. 'When she was also vulnerable and intoxicated in the early hours of the morning, Mr Head kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her in his car and then drove off leaving her distressed on the roadside. 'On both occasions, the defendant was driving his grey Mercedes estate motor vehicle with the registration number L21 GRH.' The 25-year-old was able to remember the 'L21' portion of Head's number plate, which led to police pulling his car over and arresting him the same night, jurors heard. 'He slipped up on November 19, 2022 in two respects. First because his victim was alert enough to be able to memorise part of the licence plate for the police to be able to identify his car when they saw it,' said Mr Jarvis. The 25-year-old had been on a night out and had consumed alcohol and cocaine on the night in question, the court heard. Her account is that a man pulled up alongside her and told her he was an Uber driver who had just finished his shift but would give her a free ride home. Journeys from Middle Street, in Brighton, where the victim left Monarch Bar, to the victim's home address were found after analysis of the satnav in Head's Mercedes. Mr Jarvis continued: 'He offered to give her a life home but his real plan was to drive around until he was satisfied she was fast asleep so he could sexually assault and rape her. 'He drove close to her home address and tried to rape her in the back seat of his car but she came to and kicked him away.' The 25-year-old has since died and did not give evidence at the trial. Head will be sentenced on August 22.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Fake Uber driver guilty of kidnapping, attempted rape and sexual assault
A driver has been found guilty for a second time after posing as an 'unofficial Uber' to pick up 'vulnerable and intoxicated' women he could abuse. Graham Head, 68, had latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava in his silver Mercedes estate when he was arrested in November 2022. In his home, business cards advertising him as a 'N- Uber driver' were emblazoned with the slogan 'Safe and Reliable – For All Occasions' underneath one of his phone numbers. In July 2023, Head, of Pevensey, East Sussex, was handed a 23-year sentence for the kidnap and attempted rape of a 25-year-old woman, along with assault by penetration of a 19-year-old woman. In November 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction following a complaint from Head relating to the judge who presided over the original trial. On Thursday, he was convicted of all charges again by a jury of seven men and five women after eight hours of deliberation at Lewes Crown Court. During the trial, jurors heard that Head was a 'sexual predator' who 'slipped up' the night he was arrested by police. He claimed that he offered the 25-year-old a lift home but did not touch her and never met his other alleged victim. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said: 'The defendant is a sexual predator. Basing himself in Pevensey and ostensibly working as an unofficial Uber driver or taxi driver. 'He was also looking for vulnerable young women who he could sexually abuse. 'He carried Viagra and condoms with him, either on his person or in his car, as well as latex gloves. He would use the latex gloves to minimise the risk of leaving traces of his DNA on his victims.' Head had two mobile phones and was 'savvy enough' to know that if he kept them on while he was driving, the network provider could record his movements so kept them in flight mode while he was searching for victims, the court was told. The two attacks are said to have taken place in the early hours of August 19 2022, in Hove Park and November 18 2022 outside the alleged victim's home. Mr Jarvis said: 'Now in August 2022, she (the first victim) was 19 years old. When she was, we say, intoxicated and vulnerable in the early hours of the morning the defendant sexually assaulted her in Hove Park.' 'In November 2022, she (the second victim) was 25 years old. When she was also vulnerable and intoxicated in the early hours of the morning, Mr Head kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her in his car and then drove off leaving her distressed on the roadside. 'On both occasions, the defendant was driving his grey Mercedes estate motor vehicle with the registration number L21 GRH.' The 25-year-old was able to remember the 'L21' portion of Head's number plate, which led to police pulling his car over and arresting him the same night, jurors heard. 'He slipped up on November 19 2022 in two respects. First because his victim was alert enough to be able to memorise part of the licence plate for the police to be able to identify his car when they saw it,' said Mr Jarvis. The 25-year-old had been on a night out and had consumed alcohol and cocaine on the night in question, the court heard. Her account is that a man pulled up alongside her and told her he was an Uber driver who had just finished his shift but would give her a free ride home. Journeys from Middle Street, in Brighton to the victim's home address were found after analysis of the satnav in Head's Mercedes. Mr Jarvis continued: 'He offered to give her a life home but his real plan was to drive around until he was satisfied she was fast asleep so he could sexually assault and rape her. 'He drove close to her home address and tried to rape her in the back seat of his car but she came to and kicked him away.' The 25-year-old has since died and did not give evidence at the trial. Head will be sentenced on August 22 2025.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
‘Unofficial Uber' driver guilty of kidnapping, attempted rape and sexual assault
A driver has been found guilty for a second time after posing as an 'unofficial Uber' to pick up 'vulnerable and intoxicated' women he could abuse. Graham Head, 68, had latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava in his silver Mercedes estate when he was arrested in November 2022. In his home, business cards advertising him as a 'N- Uber driver' were emblazoned with the slogan 'Safe and Reliable – For All Occasions' underneath one of his phone numbers. In July 2023, Head, of Pevensey, East Sussex, was handed a 23-year sentence for the kidnap and attempted rape of a 25-year-old woman, along with assault by penetration of a 19-year-old woman. In November 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction following a complaint from Head relating to the judge who presided over the original trial. On Thursday, he was convicted of all charges again by a jury of seven men and five women after eight hours of deliberation at Lewes Crown Court. During the trial, jurors heard that Head was a 'sexual predator' who 'slipped up' the night he was arrested by police. He claimed that he offered the 25-year-old a lift home but did not touch her and never met his other alleged victim. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said: 'The defendant is a sexual predator. Basing himself in Pevensey and ostensibly working as an unofficial Uber driver or taxi driver. 'He was also looking for vulnerable young women who he could sexually abuse. 'He carried Viagra and condoms with him, either on his person or in his car, as well as latex gloves. He would use the latex gloves to minimise the risk of leaving traces of his DNA on his victims.' Head had two mobile phones and was 'savvy enough' to know that if he kept them on while he was driving, the network provider could record his movements so kept them in flight mode while he was searching for victims, the court was told. The two attacks are said to have taken place in the early hours of August 19 2022, in Hove Park and November 18 2022 outside the alleged victim's home. Mr Jarvis said: 'Now in August 2022, she (the first victim) was 19 years old. When she was, we say, intoxicated and vulnerable in the early hours of the morning the defendant sexually assaulted her in Hove Park.' 'In November 2022, she (the second victim) was 25 years old. When she was also vulnerable and intoxicated in the early hours of the morning, Mr Head kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her in his car and then drove off leaving her distressed on the roadside. 'On both occasions, the defendant was driving his grey Mercedes estate motor vehicle with the registration number L21 GRH.' The 25-year-old was able to remember the 'L21' portion of Head's number plate, which led to police pulling his car over and arresting him the same night, jurors heard. 'He slipped up on November 19 2022 in two respects. First because his victim was alert enough to be able to memorise part of the licence plate for the police to be able to identify his car when they saw it,' said Mr Jarvis. The 25-year-old had been on a night out and had consumed alcohol and cocaine on the night in question, the court heard. Her account is that a man pulled up alongside her and told her he was an Uber driver who had just finished his shift but would give her a free ride home. Journeys from Middle Street, in Brighton, where the victim left Monarch Bar, to the victim's home address were found after analysis of the satnav in Head's Mercedes. Mr Jarvis continued: 'He offered to give her a life home but his real plan was to drive around until he was satisfied she was fast asleep so he could sexually assault and rape her. 'He drove close to her home address and tried to rape her in the back seat of his car but she came to and kicked him away.' The 25-year-old has since died and did not give evidence at the trial. Head will be sentenced on August 22 2025.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Pevensey fake Uber driver guilty of sex attacks on Brighton women
A sexual predator who carried a "rape kit" while posing as a fake Uber driver has been found guilty of kidnap and sex offences for a second time following a Head, 68, was convicted of attempting to rape one woman and sexually assaulting another after posing as a taxi driver to approach vulnerable victims in Brighton in retrial at Lewes Crown Court heard that Head changed his story about having contact with one victim on the night he attacked of Pevensey, East Sussex, was first convicted in 2023 but then successfully appealed his sentence in 2024. He will be sentenced again in August following the retrial. One of Head's victims, a 25-year-old woman, died in December 2024 shortly after Head's previous 23-year sentence was quashed. Her death is being investigated by the mother, who attended every day of the retrial, wept as the guilty verdicts were read said: "My biggest hope is that other families can now hopefully feel much safer knowing that this dangerous man is no longer able to predate and attack any other vulnerable young local woman, thanks to his deserved re-conviction for these appalling offences."She continued: "My other hope is that, if there are other young women who feel they may have narrowly escaped or fallen victim to this sexual predator, then they will hopefully be reassured by my daughter's and our family's experience that they will be listened to, supported, and well cared for by the police and court systems." The retrial heard that after being stopped in Brighton in November 2022 Head was found with latex gloves, Viagra, condoms and a balaclava in his silver that night Head told his 25-year-old victim that he was an Uber driver and at the end of his shift, and offered her a free ride in the car he tried to rape her, but she was able to kick him off and escape before giving a partial number plate to emergency been stopped, bodycam footage showed Head telling police: "I know I haven't done it."If I took her to the correct address, that's not kidnapping. "I never said to her I was an Uber driver, I've never said that ever." In August 2022, a 19-year-old woman had reported that she had been attacked after being picked up in central being taken to a park in the city, she texted a friend at 04:15 BST – "I'm being raped."Paul Jarvis KC, prosecuting, said: "When her friend called back the defendant [Head] was startled. He got up and ran off." The woman suffered injuries including bloodied knees, bruising on her ankles and wrists, and grazes on her shook his head and said "No" as the verdicts were Honour Judge Christine Laing KC said: "The defendant has tried twice now to persuade a jury despite, what some might say, was extremely compelling evidence."The second victim's mother thanked Sussex Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts for supporting her daughter and bringing Head to justice.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘Unofficial Uber' driver guilty of kidnapping, attempted rape and sexual assault
A driver found guilty of posing as an 'unofficial Uber' to pick up 'vulnerable and intoxicated' women he could abuse is facing jail. Graham Head, 68, had latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava in his silver Mercedes estate when he was arrested in November 2022. In his home, business cards advertising him as a 'N-Uber driver' were emblazoned with the slogan 'Safe and Reliable – For All Occasions' underneath one of his phone numbers. Head, of Pevensey, East Sussex, denied kidnapping and the attempted rape of a 25-year-old woman, along with assault by penetration of a 19-year-old woman. On Thursday, he was convicted of all charges by a jury of seven men and five women after eight hours of deliberation at Lewes Crown Court. During the trial, jurors heard that Head was a 'sexual predator' who 'slipped up' the night he was arrested by police. He claimed that he offered the 25-year-old a lift home but did not touch her and never met his other alleged victim. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said: 'The defendant is a sexual predator. Basing himself in Pevensey and ostensibly working as an unofficial Uber driver or taxi driver. 'He was also looking for vulnerable young women who he could sexually abuse. 'He carried Viagra and condoms with him, either on his person or in his car, as well as latex gloves. He would use the latex gloves to minimise the risk of leaving traces of his DNA on his victims.' Head had two mobile phones and was 'savvy enough' to know that if he kept them on while he was driving, the network provider could record his movements so kept them in flight mode while he was searching for victims, the court was told. The two attacks are said to have taken place in the early hours of August 19 2022, in Hove Park and November 18 2022 outside the alleged victim's home. Mr Jarvis said: 'Now in August 2022, she (the first victim) was 19 years old. When she was, we say, intoxicated and vulnerable in the early hours of the morning the defendant sexually assaulted her in Hove Park.' 'In November 2022, she (the second victim) was 25 years old. When she was also vulnerable and intoxicated in the early hours of the morning, Mr Head kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her in his car and then drove off leaving her distressed on the roadside. 'On both occasions, the defendant was driving his grey Mercedes estate motor vehicle with the registration number L21 GRH.' The 25-year-old was able to remember the 'L21' portion of Head's number plate, which led to police pulling his car over and arresting him the same night, jurors heard. 'He slipped up on November 19 2022 in two respects. First because his victim was alert enough to be able to memorise part of the licence plate for the police to be able to identify his car when they saw it,' said Mr Jarvis. The 25-year-old had been on a night out and had consumed alcohol and cocaine on the night in question, the court heard. Her account is that a man pulled up alongside her and told her he was an Uber driver who had just finished his shift but would give her a free ride home. Journeys from Middle Street, in Brighton, where the victim left Monarch Bar, to the victim's home address were found after analysis of the satnav in Head's Mercedes. Mr Jarvis continued: 'He offered to give her a life home but his real plan was to drive around until he was satisfied she was fast asleep so he could sexually assault and rape her. 'He drove close to her home address and tried to rape her in the back seat of his car but she came to and kicked him away.' The 25-year-old has since died and did not give evidence at the trial. Head will be sentenced on August 22 2025.
