Taximan jailed after 15 years of sex attacks

Paul Hewitt, 50, who sexually assaulted five girls and women aged between 11 and 21 and may have attacked more, has faced four separate trials but has never been convicted until now.

As a private hire driver in Hull he drove his vulnerable female passengers to deserted areas late at night and subjected them to the horrific attacks.

Despite four previous trials at Hull Crown Court, a jury has never been able to convict him until the latest trial, when it was told of all his offending.

One victim has waited nine years for justice after he attacked her in his cab in October 2001.

Despite going to the police and giving evidence the jury failed to believe her.

After he was jailed, the 30-year-old said: "His victims finally have justice. Finally he can no longer hurt anyone else. I just wish I had been believed nine years ago and some of these other victims could have been spared."

In February, a jury took four hours to unanimously convict Hewitt of two rapes, two indecent assaults, threats to kill, two assaults by penetration, two counts of sexual activity with a child and three counts of possessing indecent images and videos of children at the worst possible level.

Hewitt, of Hull, was eventually brought to justice after a 13-year-old girl reported her rape to the police. He had threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

When police investigated they discovered another teenager had reported Hewitt for rape previously, but had been too terrified to go to court. Other women had also reported he had sexually assaulted them in his cab.

Hewitt attacked his first victim in December 1995 after she caught his cab home from a nightclub in the city centre.

Instead of taking her home, Hewitt drove the 19-year-old to a secluded spot and sexually assaulted her. Two separate juries failed to reach a verdict on her case.

On February 9, 2001, he indecently assaulted a 17-year-old girl but instead of taking her home, drove her to a park and subjected her to a sexual assault.

On October 28 that year, he indecently assaulted a 21-year-old barmaid who had called a cab. She had previously asked the company he worked for not to send Hewitt because he had been "suggestive and inappropriate" in the past.

The woman told the taxi company, taxi licensing officials and the police and went to trial but the jury failed to believe her.

Judge Roger Thorn QC sentenced Hewitt to an indeterminate sentence for public protection.

He will have to serve a minimum of eight-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.

Speaking after the hearing, Det Constable Craig Nicholson said: "He is evil and has shown no remorse. We believe there could be more victims out there."