Fake Taxi Driver Re-Convicted Of Brighton Sex Offences After Appeal

A fake taxi driver who successfully appealed a conviction of attempting to rape one woman and sexually assaulting another has been found guilty for a second time.

In July, 2023, Graham Head, 68, formerly of Coast Road in Pevensey, was given a 23-year sentence for kidnap, attempted rape and assault by penetration relating to two female victims in Brighton and Hove.

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.

A retrial date was set and, on Thursday (19 June), a new jury at Lewes Crown Court found Head guilty of all counts.

He is due to appear at the same court on 25 August for sentencing.

Detective Constable Elliott Lander from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said:

“Graham Head has twice tried to evade justice for his despicable crimes, and now twice been convicted by separate juries.

“His refusal to accept responsibility for his offending has forced his victims to relive the traumatic attacks carried out by him. The impact on them and their families cannot be overstated, and I commend all involved for their strength and courage in such challenging circumstances.

“Head will remain in prison, as he has throughout this process, as 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."

Circumstances

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.