Bogus taxi driver who tried to rape women 'may have more victims'

Watch: Bogus taxi driver arrested for kidnap and attempted rape

A bogus taxi driver who prowled the streets looking for women to rape on their way home from nights out may have attacked other victims, investigators have said.

Police are appealing for women who think they may have been approached or attacked by Graham Head to come forward.

Head, 66, who kidnapped and tried to rape two women, was caught after one victim remembered three digits of his car registration.

He had armed himself with a balaclava, latex gloves, condoms and Viagra pills and posed as a cab driver, scouring the streets of Brighton in search of victims.

The first attack involved a woman in her late teens who was dragged into bushes in a park near the city, in the early hours of 19 August last year.

The victim was driven by Head from Brighton city centre to Hove Park around 15 minutes away.

He then tried to rape her while wearing a face mask, but fled the scene when the victim’s mobile phone rang, police said.

Two months later a woman in her 20s woke up in a car she thought was a taxi, to find a man sexually assaulting her.

She had accepted a ride in Head's Mercedes - believing it to be a taxi - to go from Brighton city centre to nearby Hove the evening of 17 November.

The woman managed to escape and called police at around 3.10am the next morning. She was able to recall three digits of the car’s registration plate and, just minutes later, police found Head's silver estate in central Brighton.

He was pulled over after a short chase.

Inside the vehicle, police discovered paraphernalia which included condoms and Viagra tablets.

A mobile phone belonging to the second victim was also found by the roadside after Head threw it out of the window during the chase.

Footage presented to Hove Crown Court last week showed the first victim walking up to a silver Mercedes estate, which was then tracked through the city centre on CCTV and doorbell cameras, driving slowly along the road near Hove Park.

Head was found guilty of kidnap, attempted rape and assault by penetration on Friday (2 June). He was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing, a date for which has not yet been set.

Detective Constable Elliott Lander, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, believes there could be more women who have been attacked by Head, and urged potential victims to come forward.

He 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, premeditated nature of his crimes as he moved through Brighton and Hove looking for potential victims.

Read more from Yahoo News UK:

Bournemouth beach deaths: Latest news on tragedy after two children 'drowned' in tragedy

BBC defends 'unverified' report Russian troops killed 250 Ukrainians

TikTok 'prankster' Mizzy reveals details of Andrew Tate advice: 'That's why I can respect him'

“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.”

Anyone with information can contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Cooper.