Locations
Coast Road, Pevensey Bay, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24
Description
A twisted predator posed as a taxi driver to sexually attack two women after giving them lifts home. Graham Head, 66, had ambushed one victim by dragging her into a bush, while another had awoken in the back of his car to find him attempting to rape her.
It was later discovered that he kept latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava in his car. Head has now been found guilty of kidnap, attempted rape and assault by penetration and is facing a jail sentence.
The first incident was reported by a woman in her late teens on August 19 after she was dragged into the bushes in Hove Park, Sussex, by a man during the early hours of the morning. Prior to the assault, she had received a lift from him from Brighton to Hove Park.
He attempted to rape her but fled the scene when the victim’s mobile began to ring. She later described her attacker as a 40 to 50-year-old short man wearing a face mask.
CCTV showed the victim approaching a silver Mercedes estate, which was then tracked through the city centre and doorbell footage showed him driving slowly along the road near Hove Park.
In another incident four months later on November 18, a woman in her 20s woke up in a vehicle that she believed to be a taxi with a man sexually assaulting her. She had earlier got into what she thought was a taxi taking her from Brighton to Hove.
She managed to escape and called the police at 3.10am and was able to remember three digits of the car’s registration plate. Officers were able to locate the vehicle within minutes and stopped it in Preston Circus following a short pursuit.
Head was discovered wearing a face mask, with the victim’s mobile phone found discarded by the roadside along the route Head had taken during the pursuit. He was arrested on suspicion of kidnap, attempted rape and failing to stop a vehicle when asked to do so.
Following this, he was later connected to the August attack and charged with kidnap, attempted rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault. Since being convicted, the man, of Coast Road in Pevensey, has been remanded into custody to await sentencing.
Detective Constable Elliott Lander from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “Graham Head is a predatory offender who gained the trust of these victims by posing as a taxi driver, only to take advantage of vulnerable women in the most abhorrent ways.
“The items found in his car show the callous, pre-meditated nature of his crimes as he moved through Brighton and Hove looking for potential victims.
“Thanks to the quick-thinking and bravery of these two women, we were quickly able to connect Head to both incidents and bring him to justice. I would like to thank them both for their support during this investigation.
“Without them, this dangerous individual could still be at large. Instead, he has been brought to justice and the streets of Brighton and Hove are safer as a result.
“We believe Head may have further victims who have not yet come forward. If you believe you may have been a victim, or have any information which could help, please contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Cooper. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”