UK court jails former SA domestic bowler for rape

Dion Taljard, a former fast bowler for Border at the turn of the century, has been sentenced to an 18-year jail sentence after being found guilty on 19 counts of rape.

According to the Daily Mail, the 47-year-old, who moved to England in 2000, attacked an unnamed woman more than 150 times between 2002 and 2015.

That startling number emerged from testimony in the Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

“You used violence towards this woman over and above even the rapes themselves. You manipulated her and sent her threatening text messages to her to get your own way,” said Maurice Green, the presiding judge in handing down the sentence.

“She was afraid of you. On one occasion she went missing and had to have a police helicopter to look for her. She described herself as at rock bottom and suicidal. She felt downgraded and intimidated on many‚ many occasions.”

The woman finally reported Taljard to the police in early 2015.

However, close family members are convinced he’s being false accused.

Even a Facebook page has been set up as a fundraising mechanism for his appeal.

Taljard was a wholehearted seamer, whose big career highlight was when he took 6/49 against Pakistan in a tour match in 1998.

That spell included a hat-trick.