Man jailed over 'cab fall' death

Ioannis Revenikiotis had cruised the streets looking for a woman

An engineer described as "a menace to women" has been jailed for 11 years after a 20-year-old travel agent fell to her death from his moving car.

Ioannis Revenikiotis, 29, of School Crescent, Dewsbury, was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of the kidnap and manslaughter of Stephanie Hammill.

Ms Hammill mistook his Mercedes for a taxi on a night out in Wakefield with her fiance in November 2003.

She jumped or fell from the car fearing she would be sexually assaulted.

As the guilty verdict was announced in court, Revenikiotis, originally from Greece, showed no emotion, but Miss Hammill's relatives shouted "Yes" and punched the air in the public gallery.

She only felt able to escape by taking her life in her own hands and jumping out of your moving car into the path of oncoming traffic Trial judge, Mr Justice Wilkie

Her parents, Brian and Jane Hammill, said they took "some small comfort" from seeing Revenikiotis jailed.

"We can never forgive him for what he did," they added. "We hate him and there are no words that can properly described how badly we feel towards him.

"His disgusting and selfish actions robbed us of our beautiful daughter."

Fiance James Garland said: "The shock of losing Stephanie so suddenly left me feeling like I had been cut in half.

"It makes me sick to think that someone would do what he did that night."

Stephanie Hammill and James Garland were planning their wedding

Miss Hammill had been trying to flag down taxis with her boyfriend James Garland in the early hours of 29 November 2003 when the Mercedes pulled up.

The car sped off with Miss Hammill's leg still sticking out of the open rear door, leaving Mr Garland alone on the pavement.

Terrified that she was going to be sexually assaulted, Miss Hammill somehow got out of the moving Mercedes as it was leaving the city and was then hit by a taxi coming in the other direction.

'Terrifying ordeal'

The judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, said: "The court has heard and accepts that Miss Hammill was a well-liked and loved young girl, enjoying life, with much to look forward to.

"You, however, saw her as an opportunity for sexual contact.

"In desperation for female company, you ruthlessly acted without any regard for her.

"By your impulsive and selfish behaviour, you subjected her to a terrifying ordeal, driving her past her own home towards the countryside.

"She only felt able to escape by taking her life in her own hands and jumping out of your moving car into the path of oncoming traffic."

"I am satisfied, not only from the events of that night but also from your conduct towards women in the past, despite your undoubted intelligence and talent, you are a menace to women, and such conduct can have devastating and unpredictable consequences."