Former South Africa domestic cricketer Dion Taljard received a jail sentence of 18 years on Wednesday. The 47-year-old has been found guilty of raping a woman more than 150 times over a period of 10 years — apart from counts of indecent assault — by a jury following a trial last month.
The right-arm seam bowler played first class cricket for Border between 1993 and 1999. Later, he moved to the United Kingdom, where he turned out for several clubs in Greater Manchester.
According to reports, the cricketer committed the crime between 2002 and 2012. He attacked a woman (identity not disclosed) and forced her to obey his orders.
“The majority of the rapes happened on a Monday when he was at the darts and was drunk‚” prosecutor Nicholas Clarke told a British daily.
“He would say ‘I want to have sex with you’‚ ‘you will comply’. There were innumerable times when they had sex without her consent,” he added.
It is learnt that he also used to hold the victim by her throat until she passed out. She came forward with her complaint three years after the onslaught ended.
However, Taljard rubbished the allegations as lies. His friends have started an online campaign to fight for justice.
In his prime, he took 60 wickets in 25 first-class games at an average of 30.93 with two fifers.
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