Former Tennis Star Bob Hewitt Gets Jail Term for Rape
Hewitt, 75, pleaded not guilty after he was charged in June 2014 of sexually abusing underage girls he coached in the 1980s. He was convicted in March of two counts of rape and one of indecent assault.
High Court Judge Bert Bam sentenced Hewitt to ten years, with two years suspended for each rape conviction and two years for the indecent assault conviction.
Hewitt must also pay 100,000 Rand ($8,445) to sexual abuse prevention campaigns in South Africa.
His wife requested mercy for Hewitt at the sentencing hearing Monday.
As a professional tennis player, the Australia-born Hewitt represented South Africa, winning 15 Grand Slam titles during the 1960s and 1970s as a doubles player. His 2012 admission to the International Tennis Hall of Fame was suspended after the rape allegations.
