Fake East Sussex taxi driver given 23-year sentence for attempted rape and sexual assault

At Hove Crown Court on Monday (July 24) Head, 66, of Coast Road in Pevensey, was jailed for 18 years, with an additional five years to be spent on extended licence. He was told he must serve at least two thirds of that sentence before being eligible for parole.

Head was arrested on November 18, 2022, after a woman in her 20s reported waking up in a vehicle, which she believed to be a taxi, to find a man sexually assaulting her.

Police reported that she had earlier got into what she thought was a taxi taking her from Brighton to Hove.

She managed to escape, called police at around 3.10am and was able to remember three digits of the car’s registration plate.

Within minutes, officers located the vehicle – a silver Mercedes estate - and stopped it in Preston Circus following a short pursuit. Head was arrested at the scene.

He was linked to an ongoing investigation from August 19, 2022, when a woman in her late teens reported a man dragging her into bushes in Hove Park.

Police said that he attempted to rape her, but fled the scene when the victim’s mobile phone rang.

CCTV footage from that investigation showed the victim approaching a silver Mercedes estate, which was then tracked through city centre CCTV and doorbell footage driving slowly along the road near Hove Park.

After he was arrested in November, 2022, his internet search history was found to include phrases such as ‘if a mobile phone is switched off can it still be traced’ and multiple searches around nightclub opening times in Brighton, East Sussex and Surrey, as well as information on Brighton student nights.

Inside his car were latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava. His mobile phone had been placed on flight mode.

At Hove Crown Court on Friday, June 2, Head was found guilty of kidnap, attempted rape and assault by penetration and remanded in custody.

At the same court for sentencing, Judge Jeremy Gold described Head as a ‘sexual predator’ who posed a ‘present and dangerous risk’ to women.

Judge Gold also commended the quick-thinking and determination of Head’s second victim for alerting police, leading to his arrest.

Sussex Police was also praised for the ‘painstaking, detailed and wide-ranging’ investigation which reflected ‘extremely well’ on the service.

Detective Constable Elliott Lander, of Surrey and Sussex’s Major Crime Team, said: “Graham Head was a committed offender who demonstrated a meticulous approach to preying on vulnerable women.

“With him now behind bars for a significant length of time, our streets are safer as a result.

“I would like to once again thank these two brave women for supporting the investigation through to prosecution – without them Head could still be on the loose, putting other women in danger.

“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.”

Superintendent Adele Tucknott, Sussex Police’s lead for violence against women and girls, said: “Women and girls should be able to walk the streets safe from dangerous predators like Graham Head.

“His imprisonment is another step in our ongoing commitment to making sure Sussex remains a safe place for women and girls.

“While we and our partners have a range of measures in place to protect people from harm, we are also working hard to improve the quality of investigations to ensure we catch and prosecute perpetrators.

“Our message to victims remains the same – please report any crimes or concerns to the police. You will be believed, you will be supported and we will do everything in our power to get you the justice you deserve.”