Legal counsel for former tennis ace Bob Hewitt will turn to the Supreme Court of Appeal to try and get his conviction for rape and sexual assault overturned.
This, after Pretoria High Court judge Bert Bam granted Hewitt leave to appeal against his sentence but denied him the right to appeal against the conviction.
Bam had earlier sentenced Hewitt to eight years each for the rapes of Suellen Sheehan and Twiggy Tolken, but suspended two years of that provided he pays an amount on each count towards a government programme against the abuse of women and children.
On the indecent assault of a third woman, Judge Bam sentenced Hewitt to two years in jail but ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
Algoa FM News caught up with Hewitt's attorney, Alwyn Griebenow, after Friday''s proceedings.
Griebenow "We just came out of court in Pretoria. We applied for leave to appeal against the conviction and the sentencing of Mr Bob Hewitt."
"The court granted us leave to appeal against his sentencing but against his conviction. The court also extended Mr Hewitt's bail pending the outcome of the Appeal against the sentencing on the charges on which he was convicted."
"We will now file with the Supreme Court of Appeal a petition requesting the Supreme Court of Appeal to grant us permission to also come to them on the conviction and not only on the sentencing of Mr Bob Hewitt."
picture: from Facebook page of Woman and men against child abuse
