Court insists a 76-year-old tennis legend must go to jail

Court insists that 76-year-old tennis legend must go to jail for raping underaged girls in the 80s

Today, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed an application by disgraced former grand slam doubles champion, Bob Hewitt, to challenge his conviction for rape and sexual assault of some girls he coached in South Africa back in the 1980s and 1990s. .

Hewitt was sentenced to six years in prison but his lawyers argued that he suffered from ill-health and also pointed to the length of time between when the offences were committed and the trial. But three Supreme Court of Appeal judges said these had already been considered. .

The allegations first surfaced in 2011. Speaking on the issue, Judge Mandisa Maya said: “You must not overlook that the trial court could have imposed life imprisonment on Hewitt for the rape of a minor.” Hewitt has also been expelled from the International Tennis Hall of Fame because of his conviction.