Johannesburg - Convicted paedophile Bob Hewitt has spent more than a year dodging prison as he approached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and the Constitutional Court to overturn his sentence and conviction.
But after the highest court in the land refused to hear his application last week due to a lack of any chance of success, the former tennis pro will have to hand himself over to the police next Tuesday.
And with no more legal avenues to pursue, the 76-year-old's victims have expressed their enormous relief that he can no longer escape the consequences of his crimes.
In June, Hewitt was denied his appeal at the SCA on a six-year prison sentence for raping two of the women as children, and molesting the third as a teenager during the 1980s and 1990s.
The SCA was quick to side with the initial ruling of High Court Judge Bert Bam, whose damning judgment labelled Hewitt a “violator of children”.
The appellate court said Hewitt’s age, health, fame and last-minute attempts to show remorse were not mitigating factors, and that he had failed to recognise the damage he had done to his victims and should be incarcerated.
But the Constitutional Court’s order from last Wednesday - which became public only on Monday - was far less in-depth.
The 11 judges said: “The Constitutional Court has considered this application for direct access and has concluded that the application should be dismissed as it lacks prospects of success.”
Hewitt’s first recorded victim, Theresa “Twiggy” Tolken, was in a state of disbelief.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s incredible. The truth is out and is acknowledged and solidified (in court). We just never knew when this was all going to end,” she told The Star.
For decades, Tolken lived with the memories of abuse at Hewitt’s hands, and it was the love letters he sent to her when she was 12 years old that cemented his conviction last year.
“This is a victory for all people who have been abused by people in positions of power. His day has finally come,” she said.
Hewitt’s second victim, who asked not to be named, said she was wary of whether he would “pull some other trick from his sleeve”.
“I feel too scared to feel excited in case he finds some other avenue.”
She hoped the ruling would prevent others from attacking victims in abuse matters.
Hewitt’s advocate, Stephanie Green, declined to comment.
Women and Men Against Child Abuse director Miranda Friedmann said: “It is unbelievably good news and a massive victory for adult survivors of sexual abuse.”
The Star