A man pretending to be an Uber driver in Brighton, England, was apprehended by police after one of his victims remembered part of his license plate. Upon searching the suspect’s car, authorities discovered a disturbing collection of items constituting a “rape kit,” including latex gloves, condoms, Viagra tablets, and a balaclava. Additional incriminating evidence, such as an extendable baton and incapacitating spray, was found at the suspect’s residence in East Sussex.
The first reported incident occurred on August 19 when a teenage woman was forcefully dragged into bushes at Hove Park in the early hours of the morning. She had previously accepted a ride from the imposter driver, who had driven her from Brighton to Hove Park. Although he attempted to rape her, he fled the scene upon the victim’s phone ringing. The attacker was described as a short man between 40 and 50 years old, wearing a face mask.
Surveillance footage captured the victim approaching a silver Mercedes estate, which was later traced through CCTV footage in the city center and doorbell recordings as it drove slowly near Hove Park.
On November 18, a woman in her twenties reported waking up in a vehicle, believing it to be a taxi, only to find herself being sexually assaulted by a man. Earlier, she had entered what she thought was a taxi to travel from Brighton to Hove. Managing to escape, she promptly contacted the police around 3:10 am and was able to recall three digits of the suspect’s license plate. Within minutes, officers located and stopped the silver Mercedes estate, matching the description given by the victim, after a brief pursuit. The driver, identified as Graham Head, aged 66 and wearing a face mask, was taken into custody. Subsequently, the disturbing rape kit was discovered in his vehicle.
During the investigation, detectives found a mobile phone belonging to the second victim discarded along the route taken by Head during the pursuit, in Chatham Place, Brighton. Authorities connected Head’s vehicle to the August attack, leading to his arrest on suspicion of kidnap, attempted rape, and failing to stop when asked to do so. The following day, he was further arrested for those offenses. Head has since been charged with kidnap, attempted rape, assault by penetration, and sexual assault, and he remains in custody awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of kidnap, attempted rape, and assault by penetration at Hove Crown Court on June 2.
Detective Constable Elliott Lander from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team commended the victims for their quick thinking and bravery, which enabled the authorities to connect Head to both incidents and bring him to justice. Lander expressed gratitude for their support during the investigation and emphasized that without their cooperation, this dangerous individual could still be at large. The successful resolution of the case has made the streets of Brighton and Hove safer for residents and visitors alike.
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