Fake Uber driver jailed for sex attacks on two women

A man who pretended to be an Uber driver so he could carry out sex attacks on young women has been jailed for 18 years, extended for a further five years.

Graham Head sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman in a Brighton park, who managed to message a friend saying she was being raped. When her friend called back, the man ran off before her friend came to collect her. 

Three months later, he told a woman he was an Uber driver and offered her a free lift home. She drifted off to sleep and he attempted to rape her, but she was able to fight him off and get out of the car. She told a passer-by that she had no recollection of what had happened before waking up in a car being attacked by a man wearing gloves.

She was able to give police a partial registration plate and police spotted the car and stopped it. When they searched his car, they found a pair of black plastic gloves and a business card with a picture of a car similar to his, the words “N-UBER” above it and one of the defendant’s phone numbers.

Head was previously convicted following a trial in 2023, but those convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal and a re-trial was ordered. However, before the re-trial could be held, one of the victims died. The jury in the latest trial returned the same guilty verdicts as in the original trial.

Rebecca Millardship from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Graham Head is a dangerous sexual predator, who poses a real danger to young women.

“He planned his attacks carefully, pretending to be an Uber driver, using latex gloves to minimise the risk of leaving traces of his DNA and, while he was searching for victims, he made sure his phones were on flight mode, so they could not be tracked.

“After a re-trial was ordered, the CPS remained steadfast in our commitment to deliver justice for the victims.  

“Following the tragic death of one of the victims in this case, we were still able to ensure her voice was heard during the re-trial, with her interview given to the police played to the jury and details of the answers she gave to questions from the defence during the original trial also included in our case.

“Today’s sentence ensures that Head will not be able to hurt any other young women. We hope that this sentence brings some small comfort to everyone involved in the case.”

Detective Constable Elliott Lander from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “No prison sentence can make up for the devastation caused by Graham Head’s appalling crimes.

“His refusal to take any responsibility has only inflicted further trauma on his victims. I cannot thank the victims and their families enough for the strength they have shown under extremely challenging circumstances.

“Head presents a clear danger to women and the streets of Sussex are safer now he will remain behind bars.

“Anyone who has any information or concerns linked to this investigation is asked to contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Cooper.”