A South African judge sentenced retired doubles tennis champion Bob Hewitt to six years in prison for rape and sexual assault on Monday.
Judge Bert Bam sentenced Hewitt to eight years in jail on two counts of rape of minors, with two years suspended. He lso sentenced Hewitt to two years in prison for a third charge of sexual assault.
The three sentences will be served at the same time, meaning Hewitt (75), should spend up to six years in prison, said Judge Bam.
The seriousness of the crimes and the prevalence of sexual violence in South Africa, had to be considered, the judge told the courtroom in the country’s capital, Pretoria.
The judge cited previous cases in which perpetrators have been sentenced to life for rape, especially when the victims were children.
Australian-born Hewitt has denied the charges.
Hewitt won 15 Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles titles at all four Grand Slam events between 1963 and 1979. He was in the International Tennis Hall of Fame but was suspended indefinitely after an investigation.
“No rapist and violator of children should be allowed to hide behind his age, medical condition and, or personal circumstances to escape custodial sentence,” said the judge. He also ordering Hewitt to pay about $8,500 to state-run campaigns against sexual violence.
Before the judge ruled, Hewitt testified that he was in poor health. A heart condition, a stroke, and two artificial knees mean that Hewitt can “barely put his left foot before his right foot,” his lawyer Terry Price said at the sentencing hearing.
