Pevensey Sex Offender Graham Head, a man impersonating a taxi driver to perpetrate sexual assaults on two women has been sentenced to imprisonment.
Graham Head, 66, possessed latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets, and a balaclava in his silver Mercedes estate at the time of his arrest last year, as presented in court.
According to the police, Graham Head had “prowled” the streets of Sussex in his vehicle in search of vulnerable ladies.
Graham Head, from Pevensey, East Sussex, received an 18-year sentence at Hove Crown Court and a further five years on extended licence.
Judge Jeremy Gold said he was a “sexual predator” who posed a “present and dangerous risk” to women.
The defendant was found guilty of kidnap, attempted rape and assault by penetration at the same court in June.
Graham Head was arrested in November 2022 after a woman in her 20s reported waking up in what she thought was a taxi to find a man sexually assaulting her.
Officers linked Graham Head to another ongoing investigation from August when a teenager who received a taxi ride from him from Brighton to Hove Park was then dragged into bushes.
She had remembered three digits of his number plate, allowing Sussex Police to track Graham Head’s Mercedes.
After his arrest, Graham Head’s internet history revealed multiple searches into Brighton student nights and nightclub opening times across Brighton, East Sussex and Surrey.
His mobile phone was in flight mode, meaning its location could not be traced.
A statement submitted to the court by one of Graham Head’s victims described how she struggles to be outside by herself at night.
She said: “I start to panic at every insignificant sound as I assume that it must be someone who is coming to hurt and violate me.
“In general, I don’t feel safe anymore, knowing that there are people out there who want to do what has been done to me.”
Detective Constable Elliott Lander of Surrey and Sussex’s central crime team praised the two “brave” women for coming forward and supporting the investigation. They urged any other potential victims to contact the police.
“We believe Graham Head may have further victims who have not yet come forward,” he said.
UPDATE 20.06.25
A fraudulent cab driver, who previously overturned a sentence for attempting to rape one lady and sexually assaulting another, has been convicted again.
In July 2023, Graham Head, 68, previously of Coast Road in Pevensey, received a 23-year sentence for kidnapping, attempted rape, and assault by penetration involving two female victims in Brighton and Hove.
In November 2024, the Court of Appeal annulled the conviction subsequent to a grievance from Head over the presiding Judge in the initial trial.
A retrial date was established, and on Thursday, June 19, a new jury at Lewes Crown Court adjudicated Head guilty on all charges.
He is scheduled to appear at the same court on 25 August for sentencing.
Detective Constable Elliott Lander of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team stated: “Graham Head has attempted twice to evade justice for his reprehensible offences and has now been convicted by two distinct juries.”
His failure to acknowledge responsibility for his offences has compelled his victims to re-experience the painful assaults perpetrated by him. The effect on individuals and their families is significant, and I salute all participants for their fortitude and bravery under these difficult circumstances.
“Head will continue to be incarcerated, as he has been during this entire process, while we await resentencing.”
One of Head’s victims, a woman in her 20s, is now sadly deceased. Her Mum has released the following statement:
Regardless of the outcome of this trial and independently of the jury’s verdicts on each of the charges that Graham Head has just faced, I want to say a few words on behalf of my daughter.
My (only) daughter tragically died in late 2024 – a couple days after being informed by the CPS that Graham Head had been successful in appealing his conviction for kidnap of my daughter and for causing serious sexual harm to her and to another even younger female victim.
I feel strongly that I need to protect the anonymity of my own and my daughter’s friends and the families and friends of Graham Head’s victims. However, I want to recognise and say my own deep thanks for the strong and compassionate support that my daughter, myself, and our family have received from the Police, the CPS, the witness service, and the Courts over the past two years.
This retrial process has been tremendously difficult and a huge strain for all of us; we’re glad it is now over. I’m especially grateful for the attuned support of the Sexual Offences Investigation Team (SOIT) and the Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) service who supported my daughter every step of the way through the challenges of bringing this man to justice on both trials.
Looking to my family’s future following my daughter’s death, 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.
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.
During the trial, the court heard police were investigating the attempted rape of a woman in Brighton in August, 2022 when, in November of that year, a separate report was received of a woman having been sexually assaulted in a vehicle, which she believed to be a taxi.
Investigators soon realised both incidents were connected.
The first incident was reported by a woman in her late teens on 19 August, who was dragged into bushes in Hove Park by a man in the early hours of that morning. She had earlier received a lift from him from Brighton to Hove Park.
He attempted to rape her, but fled the scene when the victim’s mobile phone rang.
Her attacker was described as a 40-50-year-old short man wearing a face mask.
She was supported by specialist officers while an investigation was launched.
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.
On 18 November, 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. 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. It was being driven by Graham Head, a short man wearing a face mask.
Inside the vehicle, police located latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets and a balaclava.
His mobile phone had been placed on flight mode and 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.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.