Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

Explore 203 verdicts at Lewes Crown Court (Lewes). Updated with the latest court outcomes.

October 2023 2 cases

Mohammed Abusetta

GBH *

Sentence

21 months imprisonment

Mohammed Abusetta, 26, of no fixed address, broke a 27-year-old man's eye socket after a minor verbal altercation on the Kingsway near the West Pier in Brighton at around 6pm on June 10, 2023. The victim, from Kent, was punched in the face during the vicious daytime attack provoked by nothing more than an exchange of words.

Pleaded guilty to GBH on August 28. Faces deportation as a result.

5 Oct 2023

Kane Lawrence

Stalking *

Sentence

Not stated

Kane Lawrence was convicted of stalking his former partner. He regularly broke onto his ex’s balcony to spend the night there and kept turning up at her Portslade flat despite repeated warnings from her and the police to stay away. He would climb onto the flat roof at the back next to her bedroom, sleep there regularly, and in the communal hallway. The relationship was from 2018 until they split in 2020. Police were called by the woman’s neighbour after Lawrence told him that changing the locks wouldn’t keep her safe.

Held in custody for a while before being sentenced. Currently wanted for breaching probation conditions.

1 Oct 2023

September 2023 2 cases

Marlena Meczynska-Shiibashi

Causing grievous bodily harm with intent *

Sentence

7 years imprisonment

On March 4, 2023, in a home in Hastings, Marlena Meczynska-Shiibashi, 38, from Mount Pleasant Road, carried out a vicious unprovoked attack on a man she knew while he was trying to sleep. She grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him multiple times, including in the leg, and poured bleach into his eyes. When police arrived, she admitted, 'I didn’t just stab him in the leg you know, I poured bleach in his eyes.' The victim suffered severe trauma, including flashbacks, anxiety, and depression.

Admitted to causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Must serve at least two-thirds before parole. On licence for 4 years after release due to ongoing danger to the public. Judge found the attack unprovoked despite her claims of provocation.

13 Sep 2023

Ronald Coggins

Indecent assault *

Sentence

6.5 years imprisonment

Ronald Coggins sexually groomed two girls, aged 14 and 15, into full sexual relationships by allowing them to ride his horses at Waterhall and a local stables. The offences occurred between August 1986 and June 1988.

Placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Judge Richard Hayward described it as an appalling breach of trust.

1 Sep 2023

August 2023 5 cases

Joseph Lavelle

Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of alcohol *

Sentence

6 years imprisonment

On Thursday 23 June 2022, Joseph Lavelle, who was two and a half times over the alcohol limit, was driving his Peugeot 306 on the westbound carriageway of the A27 Brighton bypass in Hangleton when he crashed into a broken down Vauxhall Astra, killing Alf Filer, a 58-year-old father from Elm Grove, Worthing, who was standing beside his vehicle. The incident was investigated by Sussex Police Road Policing Unit.

Pleaded guilty at a hearing last month. Also disqualified from driving for five years and required to pass an extended driving test.

22 Aug 2023

Justin Hurst

Money laundering *

Sentence

18 months imprisonment

Justin Hurst, 39, of Bramble Rise, Westdene, Brighton, was involved in drug dealing and money laundering. He made more than £120,000 from selling cannabis. He was caught by Sussex Police after a tip-off. Officers stopped his BMW car in The Drive in Hove and searched his car and home, finding cannabis, weapons, almost £5,800 cash, and notebooks with records of transactions.

Pleaded guilty to money laundering. Made more than £120,000 from selling cannabis. Cash seized by police ordered to be confiscated.

19 Aug 2023

Matthew Taylor

Rape *

Sentence

6.5 years imprisonment

Matthew Taylor lured a woman in her 20s, who was new to the town, away from a busy pub to Hastings beach on February 12, 2023, under the pretense of being friendly. Once on the beach, his behaviour changed, and he raped her despite her repeated protests and lack of consent, subjecting her to a traumatic ordeal.

Found guilty after a trial. Added to the Sex Offenders’ Register. Cleared of a second charge of rape. The Crown Prosecution Service described it as an appalling opportunistic attack.

18 Aug 2023

George Roy Balcombe Jestico

Distributing, making and possessing indecent images of children and sexual assault *

Sentence

7 years imprisonment

George Roy Balcombe Jestico, 64, of Vale Road, Portslade, was involved in distributing, making, and possessing indecent images of children over a period of years, up to four times a week for the past three years prior to his arrest. A warrant was executed at his home on 26 October 2008 based on intelligence. He lived alone and admitted these offences upon arrest. Additionally, he sexually assaulted a female victim more than 30 years ago, investigated by Brighton and Hove’s Child Protection Team. He was charged with four counts of distributing images, five of making, five of possession, and 14 counts of sexual assault.

Admitted to distributing, making, and possessing indecent images of children. Denied sexual assault charges but found guilty on all 14 counts by a jury. Given a sexual offences prevention order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

13 Aug 2023

Philip Olliver

Rape *

Sentence

9 years imprisonment

Philip Olliver followed a 19-year-old woman who was drunk and walking home alone after a company Christmas night out in Brighton. He befriended her around 2am on Monday 5 January 2023, then attacked and raped her outside Ardingly Court before fleeing. DNA evidence linked him to the crime via his previous rape conviction. He denied the charges, claiming consensual sex, but was found guilty by a jury in less than 90 minutes.

Convicted by jury on two counts of rape, sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching. Required to be on the sex offender register indefinitely. Prior conviction for rape at age 16, sentenced to 5 years in young offender institution.

6 Aug 2023

July 2023 2 cases

Jonathan Wenham

Causing death by dangerous driving *

Sentence

6 years 6 months imprisonment

Jonathan Wenham, 40, of Ridgeside Avenue, Patcham, was over the drink-drive limit when he crashed his light blue BMW into a tree in Grand Parade, Brighton, near the junction with Morley Street, at about 6.45am on Friday 21 January 2023. One of his three passengers, Nicholas Messenger, 28, of Old Kent Road, London, died as a result of the crash. Wenham knew prior to setting off that he was above the drink-drive limit, which seriously affected his ability to drive.

Admitted causing death by dangerous driving and making a false statement to obtain insurance. Disqualified from driving for 5 years and required to take an extended retest.

22 Jul 2023

Stephen May

Theft, racially aggravated assault, affray, possession of a knife *

Sentence

21 months imprisonment

Stephen May, 36, was sentenced for multiple offenses including stealing a Boursin cheese from the Co-op in High Street, Shoreham, a racially aggravated assault at the start of last year, affray, and possession of a knife in Railway Approach, Worthing, shortly before Christmas 2024. He was later wanted on recall to prison for breaching the terms of his licence and was arrested following a public appeal by Sussex Police.

Pleaded guilty to stealing a Boursin cheese from the Co-op in High Street, Shoreham, racially aggravated assault at the start of last year, affray and having a knife in Railway Approach, Worthing, shortly before Christmas 2024. Sentenced by Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove.

1 Jul 2023

June 2023 2 cases

David Mould

Child sex abuse *

Sentence

21 years imprisonment with an extended licence of seven years

David Mould, 68, of Seaford, East Sussex, used the dark web under the username 'Globe Trotter' to share stories about sexually abusing children and offer advice to other paedophiles. He made trips to the Philippines and Nepal between April 2018 and May 2019 to sexually abuse and exploit children, targeting young boys in smaller cities and rural areas by offering gifts and money to groom them. Evidence from his digital equipment included chat logs, over 100,000 indecent images of children, and manuals on abusing children and avoiding detection. Three boys in the Philippines are now being safeguarded.

Pleaded guilty to 24 offences largely related to child sex abuse. He was previously convicted in 2000 of making indecent images of children, for which he served four weeks in prison. He has been banned from travelling to 22 countries and must sign the sex offenders register.

23 Jun 2023

Charlie Pitcairn

Causing grievous bodily harm *

Sentence

eight years and eight months in prison

Charlie Pitcairn entered a house on Border Road, Haslemere, on April 22, 2023, and repeatedly stabbed his victim five times in the thigh while he slept in an unprovoked and frenzied attack. The victim and suspect were known to each other. Pitcairn fled the scene, went on the run for two days triggering an extensive police search involving drones, search dogs, and the police helicopter, before handing himself in to police.

Pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. Judge described him as a 'highly dangerous' individual.

19 Jun 2023

May 2023 1 case

Graham Cleaver

Indecent assault and attempted rape *

Sentence

10 years imprisonment

Graham Cleaver, 59, from Eastbourne, was convicted of four counts of indecent assault against a girl aged 15 to 17, occurring at an address in Hove between 1972 and 1974. He was also convicted of six counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape against a girl aged 7 to 12, occurring at his home in Dovedale Gardens, Eastbourne, between 1994 and 1999. He knew both victims before the attacks began. The offences came to light in 2011 when the older victim reported them.

Convicted after an eight-day trial. Denied everything throughout the proceedings. This was a retrial following a previous jury's failure to agree and acquittal on one count of rape.

19 May 2023

March 2023 1 case

Anthony Coates

Breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order *

Sentence

Six months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, 150 hours of unpaid community work, and a £1,000 fine

Anthony Coates, as director of two companies, was involved in the purchase and renovation of Columbia House, a seven-storey high-rise block of flats in Romany Road, Worthing, around 2022. He allowed residents to occupy the flats before the escape routes, corridors, and stairs were signed off as fire safety compliant, thereby placing occupants at an increased risk of death or serious injury in the event of a fire.

Pleaded guilty to five charges under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (2005). The breaches endangered approximately 30 residents and undermined the building's fire safety strategy.

14 Mar 2023

January 2023 2 cases

David Sole

Murder *

Sentence

Life imprisonment with minimum term of 18 years

David Sole, 33, battered to death a 48-year-old disabled man, Jon Ellison, in his flat in Gloucester Street, Brighton. Sole was staying with his victim, who was described as kind and trusting. The assault was motiveless but brutal, drug and drink-fuelled, causing severe injuries. Friends found Ellison's body in the bedroom of his flat at 2.10am on Friday 15 April last year. Sole was arrested in Winchester the next day.

Convicted of murder by a jury after a two-week trial.

23 Jan 2023

Denise Antonia

Helping an offender *

Sentence

5 years imprisonment

Denise Antonia, of Appledore Road, Moulsecoomb, helped David Sole after he murdered Jon Ellison in his flat in Gloucester Street, Brighton. She was present at the scene and assisted Sole's flight. Sole and Antonia were arrested in Winchester the day after the body was found on 15 April last year.

Sole's former girlfriend, present at the scene and assisted his flight.

23 Jan 2023

December 2022 2 cases

Farzana Kausar

Holding a person in slavery or servitude *

Sentence

6 years and 8 months imprisonment

Over a 16-year period, Farzana Kausar subjected a vulnerable woman to physical, psychological, and financial abuse, forcing her to work as an unpaid domestic servant in Kausar's home, cooking, cleaning, and looking after her children. Kausar took full control of the victim's passport and finances, withdrew money from bank accounts opened in the victim's name, and made benefit claims on the victim's behalf which she kept for herself. In May 2019, Kausar was arrested by Sussex Police on suspicion of Modern Slavery offences and released on conditional bail. She then attempted to pervert the course of justice by forcing the victim to write a letter to the police asking for the charges to be withdrawn.

Found guilty of one count of holding a person in slavery or servitude and one count of perverting the course of justice. Later ordered to pay back more than £205,000 under Proceeds of Crime Act or face additional 30-month prison sentence; £198,776 allocated to victim via Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Order.

21 Dec 2022

William Westein

Conspiracy to convert criminal property *

Sentence

18 months imprisonment

William Westein was part of a gang that stole 20 cars over four months until their arrest in the spring. The gang stole some cars after burgling owners' homes and taking their keys; in other cases, they took cars from driveways or streets. They sold seven of the cars, which have since been recovered, and sold valuable goods left in the cars such as tools, mobile phones, and computers.

Released the same day on licence after spending nine months on remand; licence revoked for non-compliance, now subject to recall to prison. Sentenced along with ten others.

11 Dec 2022

November 2022 2 cases

Derry Maher

Sexual abuse offences *

Sentence

18-year prison sentence

Derry Maher committed 12 sexual abuse offences against two teenage boys in Brighton between 1990 and 1998, ranging from indecent assault to buggery and rape. One victim was 11 when the abuse started and it continued until he was 18. The second victim was 15 when the assaults began and continued until he was 18. The victims, from local families, were known to each other and had been systematically groomed and assaulted by Maher over several years. The offending came to light two years ago when a conversation between the victims about Maher, who was still associating with one of the families, led them to realise each had been victimised, prompting them to contact the police.

Found guilty at the end of a two-week trial. Found not guilty of another charge of indecent assault against another boy.

6 Nov 2022

Ryan Selby

Dangerous Driving *

Sentence

7.5 years imprisonment and 8 years and 3 months driving ban

Ryan Selby was driving at speeds of up to 113mph in a 40mph zone on the A259 in Hastings, East Sussex, overtaking several vehicles before entering a white cross-hatched area and crashing into Oli Paxton, a pedestrian crossing the road. The incident occurred on March 9, 2021, in a residential area near two schools, resulting in Mr. Paxton's death at the scene. Selby was estimated to be driving between 107mph and 113mph and did not brake, showing a complete disregard for road safety.

Pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. Judge Christine Laing KC commented on his flagrant disregard for the rules of the road and the danger to other users.

1 Nov 2022

October 2022 1 case

Monique Moss

Dangerous Driving *

Sentence

2 years imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 4 years

Monique Moss stole her friend’s keys and drove a stolen Ford Focus, crashing it into a bus stop in Crawley, West Sussex on July 2, 2022. She was filmed on dashcam abandoning the vehicle sideways in the road and walking away. She was already disqualified from driving and faced charges including dangerous driving, theft of a vehicle, driving while disqualified, being in charge of a vehicle in dangerous circumstances, failing to report a road traffic collision, and driving while uninsured.

Took absolutely no responsibility for her actions, even walking away from the wreckage as if nothing had happened.

28 Oct 2022

September 2022 3 cases

Brett Ford

Inciting a child into sexual activity *

Sentence

two years and one month in prison

Brett Ford, 20, of Newick Road, Moulsecoomb, used Facebook to message a 12-year-old girl with explicit content, sending her lewd images and trying to arrange to meet her for sex on several occasions this year.

Pleaded guilty. Will also have to be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

14 Sep 2022

Sally Ann Dixon

Indecent Assault *

Sentence

20 years imprisonment

Sally Ann Dixon, formerly known as John Stephen Dixon, committed 30 indecent assaults against five girls and two boys between 1989 and 1996. The crimes involved systematic abuse of vulnerable young children through trusted family connections for sexual gratification, with some victims being abused simultaneously. The offences were uncovered in 2019 when one victim reported them, leading to Dixon's conviction.

Convicted of 30 indecent assaults. Also subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

8 Sep 2022

Napindi Palu

Sexual assault *

Sentence

four years and a day imprisonment with an indeterminate extension

Napindi Palu, 30, broke into a ground floor flat in Varndean Road, Brighton, early in the morning of Wednesday 4 May, having travelled down from London. The 65-year-old woman who lived in the flat woke to find Palu going through her handbag in her bedroom. He sexually assaulted her before she managed to escape and ran out of her flat to raise the alarm. Police arrested Palu at his home in Thurtle Road in Bethnal Green, London, two days later and he was charged with the offences the next day and remanded in custody.

Admitted two charges of sexual assault and one of attempted burglary. Deemed dangerous and posing a high risk to the public; must be assessed as posing no risk before release.

5 Sep 2022

August 2022 1 case

Katie Price

Breaching a restraining order *

Sentence

170 hours unpaid work and £415 fine

Katie Price, 44, breached a five-year restraining order imposed in June 2019 by sending a message on 21 January 2022 to her ex-husband Kieran Hayler, insulting his fiancée Michelle Penticost with highly offensive language including 'c***ing whore' and 'gutter slag'. The message was triggered by an Instagram post by Penticost, which Price felt was aimed at her. Price also hurled a foul-mouthed tirade at Penticost during a row in a school playground. The breach had a devastating effect on Penticost's mental wellbeing, making her feel threatened, intimidated, and vulnerable.

Pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order. Judge Stephen Mooney imposed an 18-month community order. Defence cited misunderstanding and provocation; showed remorse.

25 Aug 2022

July 2022 1 case

Charlie Jones

Dangerous driving *

Sentence

10 weeks imprisonment, banned from driving for 18 months, ordered to pay £1,000 costs and an £80 victim surcharge

Charlie Jones, 21, of Collingwood Close, Peacehaven, filmed himself driving a Vauxhall Astra through Peacehaven with the car filled with smoke after his passenger deliberately let off a fire extinguisher inside the vehicle in Heathy Brow on Tuesday 5 August last year. He was laughing hysterically, continued to drive, and filmed the incident on his mobile phone at the same time. The next day, he uploaded the video to Facebook titled “Classic nearly died twice”. A member of the public reported it, leading to identification and tracing by Sussex Police.

Found guilty by a jury of dangerous driving. Did not accept that his driving was dangerous but the jury thought otherwise. PC Anna Batchelor noted the recklessness and potential serious consequences.

15 Jul 2022

May 2022 1 case

Michael Tizzard

Making indecent images of children *

Sentence

12 months imprisonment

Michael Tizzard systematically collected still images and videos of girls estimated to be aged between 10 and 12 years old, some of the most serious type, and posted some on a site accessible to other offenders, between 2002 and 2011. The charges followed an intelligence-led investigation by the Sussex Police Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team. None of the images are believed to be of local children and there was no evidence of contact offending. He admitted the offences upon arrest last year for his own sexual gratification.

Pleaded guilty on 23 April to one count of distribution of indecent images of children and 17 counts of making indecent images of children. Issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and registered sex offender for ten years.

22 May 2022

December 2021 1 case

Patrick Foley

Rape *

Sentence

15 years imprisonment

Patrick Foley raped a girl he knew between 1968 and 1975 when she was between the ages of 11 and 18.

Found guilty of seven counts of rape by a jury. Sentenced by Judge Anthony Scott-Gall.

22 Dec 2021

August 2021 1 case

Verphy Kudi

Manslaughter *

Sentence

9 years imprisonment

Verphy Kudi left her 20-month-old daughter Asiah alone and uncared for in their flat on Islingword Road, Brighton, from 5 December 2019 (her 18th birthday) until 11 December 2019. During this period, she travelled to London and then to a birthday party in Coventry with friends, before returning to Brighton via London. Asiah was found unresponsive on 11 December 2019 and taken by ambulance to the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton, where she was confirmed dead soon after arrival. A postmortem and forensic tests determined the cause of death as neglect.

Pleaded guilty to manslaughter in March hearing. Investigation revealed she left her daughter alone from 5 December to 11 December 2019.

6 Aug 2021

July 2021 1 case

Carl Stocker

Robbery *

Sentence

10 years imprisonment

Carl Stocker committed a series of offences over a 12-month period. On May 5th, 2020, he was detained after running from officers and found with eight wraps of crack cocaine and cash, arrested for possession with intent to supply and offering to supply crack cocaine. On April 29th, 2021, he approached a Hermes delivery driver on Menzies Road, St Leonards, tricked her, stole her van and her bag containing bank cards which were later used fraudulently. The next day, he robbed a Co-op store in Battle Road, St Leonards, by leaping over the counter, threatening to stab a shop worker, stealing £500 in cigarettes and £200 in cash, and was found in possession of heroin during arrest.

Pleaded guilty to two robberies, assault, fraud and drug offences.

13 Jul 2021

May 2021 4 cases

Jennifer Johnson

Perjury and perverting the course of justice *

Sentence

six years in prison

Jennifer Johnson, Russell Bishop's girlfriend at the time of the 1986 murders, lied under oath during Bishop's 1987 trial at Lewes Crown Court about never having seen a blue Pinto sweatshirt that linked Bishop to the crime, and alleged her witness statement confirming ownership was forged by police.

Found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice for lying about a sweatshirt belonging to Russell Bishop during the 1987 trial. Did not attend the sentencing hearing.

19 May 2021

John Davis

Rape *

Sentence

18 years custody

John Davis committed child sex offences in St Leonards over a period of two years, sexually abusing two girls known to him who were both under ten when the abuse first began. He was investigated by safeguarding detectives and unanimously found guilty by a jury of all 17 offences on November 27th, 2020, after a three-week trial. The victims gave evidence by video recording and faced cross-examination, with court measures to minimise the impact.

Convicted of 17 offences including four counts of rape, two of attempted rape, eight counts of sexual assault, two of engaging in sexual activity and one of causing a child to watch images of sexual activity. Further seven years on extended prison licence supervision. Registered sex offender for life. Given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) severely restricting access to children and digital communication devices.

17 May 2021

Christopher Fenton

Causing death by dangerous driving *

Sentence

3 years and 8 months’ imprisonment

On March 6th, 2020, around 6.45pm, Christopher Fenton, aged 40, was driving an Audi S4 eastbound on Fairlight Road, Fairlight, at approximately 76mph in a 60mph zone. He had alcohol just under the legal limit and 6.1mcg of cannabis per litre of blood (legal limit 2mcg). He clipped the wing mirror of a Volkswagen Polo, mounted the nearside verge, and crossed into the path of an oncoming Citroen Picasso driven by Marcus Haynes, 65, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Marcus Haynes died at the scene, his wife, 66, suffered serious injuries, and their son, 24, from Stroud, sustained minor injuries. Fenton fled the scene but returned after over an hour, having changed his footwear. He suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized. He was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. On November 18th, 2020, he was arrested again in Pevensey Bay for driving under the influence with 6.5mcg of cannabis per litre of blood.

Pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Also disqualified from driving for five years and ten months, and must take an extended re-test. Previously disqualified for 12 months and ordered to pay £280 costs for driving under the influence of cannabis.

10 May 2021

Jennie Johnson

Perjury *

Sentence

6 years imprisonment

Jennie Johnson lied under oath at Russell Bishop's original 1987 trial for the murders of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, providing false testimony that contributed to his acquittal. She was convicted in 2021 for perverting the course of justice and making a false statement, having claimed she was a vulnerable young mother in an abusive relationship with Bishop in the late 1980s.

Convicted of perverting the course of justice and making a false statement by lying at Russell Bishop's 1987 trial. Appeal dismissed by Lord Justice Fulford, Mrs Justice Cutts and Mr Justice Henshaw.

1 May 2021

March 2021 2 cases

Connor Mackay

Being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug *

Sentence

2 years imprisonment

On March 18th, 2021, plain clothes officers observed Connor Mackay, aged 21 and unemployed from Eversfield Place, St Leonards, engaging in multiple suspected drug deals in Hastings near Falaise Gardens, Wellington Square, Castle Hill Passage, Robertson Street, and the promenade near Hastings Pier. He was detained and found in possession of 30 wraps of crack cocaine and 24 wraps of heroin. His mobile phone contained messages offering to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Pleaded guilty on April 16th. Sentence for each offence to run concurrently.

26 Mar 2021

Rhys Kersey

Driving while disqualified *

Sentence

5 years and 7 months’ imprisonment

On July 1st 2019, in the early hours, police on patrol on the A259 at Hastings spotted a yellow Fiat Punto which accelerated away, reaching speeds of up to 70mph in a 30mph zone. Officers pursued the vehicle after activating blue lights, but it made a sudden right turn into Warrior Square and crashed into a 27-year-old male pedestrian and a brick wall, seriously injuring the pedestrian and the 22-year-old female passenger in the car, both requiring hospital treatment. The driver, Rhys Kersey, unemployed and of no fixed address, was uninjured. He had been disqualified from driving for 24 months at South West London Magistrates’ Court on February 28th 2017 for dangerous driving. He was charged with driving while disqualified, failing to stop when required by police, driving without insurance, and failing to stop after a road traffic collision.

Pleaded guilty to all four offences. Also disqualified from driving for four years and six months. History of convictions for driving offences.

2 Mar 2021

January 2021 1 case

Tara Perry

Robbery *

Sentence

6 years 3 months imprisonment, 2 years on licence

Tara Perry, 33, of Priory Road, Hastings, approached a 57-year-old man in Church Road, Hastings, on August 10th, 2020, and convinced him to give her rides on his mobility scooter to various locations including Warrior Square railway station, police station, probation offices, and finally Waldegrave Street. There, she suddenly demanded money, forced him off the scooter, stole £380 in cash from him, and fled. The victim suffered bruising to his leg and body, and the money was intended for bills and family support. After the incident, his scooter's battery died, and he was pushed home by two young lads, arriving after midnight.

Pleaded guilty to robbery. The judge noted it was a despicable crime taking advantage of a vulnerable victim.

15 Jan 2021

August 2020 1 case

Mark Stevens

Sexual assault *

Sentence

3 years and 9 months imprisonment

Mark Stevens sexually assaulted a woman known to him while she was naked and either asleep or unconscious at her home in Rye on the evening of October 3rd, 2018. He videoed the assault using his mobile phone and shared the footage with a number of contacts. The victim became aware of the incident more than two months later and reported it to police, leading to Stevens' arrest. Stevens, 34, a warehouse worker from Paxhill Close, St Leonards, was charged with sexual assault, sexual assault by penetration, and publishing an obscene article.

Pleaded guilty to all three offences. Placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years. Judge noted it as a serious sexual offence causing tremendous distress and anxiety to the victim.

5 Aug 2020

July 2020 1 case

Joshua Sawyer

Possession with intent to supply cocaine *

Sentence

6 years imprisonment

Joshua Sawyer was arrested during a proactive police operation in Hastings shortly after 5am on April 17th, 2020, when armed officers supported proactive intelligence-led searches at two addresses in Hastings, one in Grove Road and one in Harkness Drive. As officers entered Sawyer’s address in Grove Road, he was seen to throw a holdall over the back wall into the next door garden and was immediately arrested. In the holdall were found an imitation sawn-off shotgun, 25 viable 16-bore cartridges, and cocaine with an estimated potential street value of £3,500. There was no violence or injury during the operation and no shots were fired.

Pleaded guilty. 3 years for possession with intent to supply cocaine; 18 months for possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit indictable offence; 18 months concurrent for possessing firearm ammunition when prohibited; 18 months for breaching previously suspended sentence for causing grievous bodily harm.

7 Jul 2020

May 2020 1 case

Alan David Oakman

Indecent assault *

Sentence

12-year prison sentence

Alan David Oakman committed a series of sexual offences against a young girl aged between seven and 12 between 1989 and 1994 in Hastings and Bexhill, including six counts of gross indecency and three counts of indecent assault. The assaults were first reported to police in 1995, but full details were not provided until 2018, leading to his arrest in September 2018. Upon arrest, 32 indecent images of children, downloaded from the Internet, were found on his computer, which he had been viewing the day before. These images indicated a continuing sexual interest in children.

Pleaded guilty on March 4th to six counts of gross indecency and three counts of indecent assault on a girl aged between seven and 12 between 1989 and 1994, and three counts of making 32 indecent images of children. A further offence of indecent assault was ordered to lie on the court file. Appeared by videolink from prison.

7 May 2020

March 2020 1 case

Mark Oak

Making and distributing indecent images of children *

Sentence

32 months imprisonment

Mark Oak, 45, of Cloudesley Road, St Leonards, was involved in accessing indecent images of children, including videos, from the internet and recirculating hundreds of them online over a period of years. The investigation by Sussex Police started after receiving intelligence about his activities. He was arrested at an address in Hastings where he lived, and laptops and hard drives were seized. The images, totaling 5,700 indecent, 1,270 extreme, and 14 prohibited, all related to children, were taken from the internet with no evidence of local children being involved. All offending took place at the Hastings address.

Pleaded guilty to eight counts of making and distributing 5,700 indecent images of children, possessing 1,270 extreme images and possessing 14 prohibited images. Registered sex offender for life. Given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely, restricting access to computers and digital devices.

16 Mar 2020

February 2020 1 case

Michael Goodwin

Breaching the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 *

Sentence

12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work

Michael Goodwin, director of Elsinore Garage and Company Limited trading as Car-Hire-UK.com, misled customers by not returning their deposits within the promised 21 days after they returned hired vehicles. Despite warnings from East Sussex and Bromley Trading Standards and an upheld complaint by the Advertising Standards Authority, the company retained deposits from 17 traced victims, totaling £9,000. The case followed a lengthy investigation into customer complaints. Goodwin had previously been based in Bromley before moving to St Leonards.

Pleaded guilty to breaching the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Refunded £9,000 to victims prior to sentencing. Ordered to pay £14,000 towards prosecution costs within 12 months. Judge considered but did not impose disqualification from being a company director to avoid job losses for staff.

28 Feb 2020

January 2020 1 case

Daniel Appleton

Murder *

Sentence

life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26.5 years

Daniel Appleton murdered his wife, primary school teacher Amy Appleton, and passing dog walker Sandra Seagrave by bludgeoning them to death in the driveway of his home in Crawley Down, West Sussex, during a psychotic episode after taking a powerful synthetic hallucinogenic drug. The incident occurred days before Christmas 2019. Seagrave was killed after intervening when she saw Appleton beating his wife outside their home. Appleton, a car mechanic, claimed no memory of killing Seagrave.

Pleaded guilty to killing both women but denied murder, claiming a psychotic episode; found guilty by jury. Judge Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard QC stated it was not a case of insanity and emphasized responsibility for taking new psychoactive substances. 365 days on remand deducted from minimum term.

13 Jan 2020

June 2019 1 case

Michael Surman

Indecent assault *

Sentence

10 years imprisonment

Michael Surman, 73, of Conqueror Road, St Leonards, sexually assaulted a young girl he knew, then aged between four and six, at another address in St Leonards between 1999 and 2001. He came to know the vulnerable girl over a period of time and took advantage of her for his own sexual gratification. The victim kept the experience to herself until last year when unrelated events triggered her memory and she contacted police. She supported the investigation and gave evidence in court.

Convicted after a five-day trial. Will be a registered sex offender for life and serve a further year on extended release licence. Previously convicted in 2010 of possessing indecent images of children.

20 Jun 2019

May 2019 1 case

Marie Keane

Burglary *

Sentence

7 years imprisonment

Marie Keane targeted vulnerable and elderly people in their own homes, committing three burglaries, two thefts from persons, and one fraud by false representation. She was arrested and the offences occurred prior to her sentencing.

Pleaded guilty to six offences. Targeted vulnerable and elderly people, often claiming to be a carer.

1 May 2019

December 2018 1 case

Russell Bishop

Murder *

Sentence

Life imprisonment with minimum term of 36 years

On 9 October 1986, Russell Bishop lured nine-year-old schoolgirls Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway into a secluded den in the woods of Wild Park, Brighton, after seeing them playing nearby. He subdued them by punching Nicola in the face and covering her mouth, then strangled and sexually assaulted both girls, with the worst assaults inflicted on Nicola, including after her death, due to her earlier rudeness to his girlfriend. Their bodies were found the next day huddled in dense woodland, half a mile from their homes in Moulsecoomb. Bishop was the prime suspect but acquitted in 1987 due to police and prosecutorial errors. New forensic evidence in 2016, including a billion-to-one DNA match on a blue Pinto sweatshirt discarded at the scene and another on Karen's body, led to his retrial and conviction. He joined the search for the girls to divert suspicion and later tried to blame Nicola's father.

Convicted of two counts of murder and sexual assault. Described as 'evil personified' by victims' families. Already serving life sentence for 1990 attempted murder and sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl.

11 Dec 2018

September 2015 1 case

Mark Furnevel

Possession of indecent images of children *

Sentence

5 years imprisonment

Mark Furnevel, 46, of Dorset Gardens, Brighton, previously known as Mark Pyne, an unemployed man with a history of looking at child pornography, pleaded guilty to possessing five indecent images of young boys downloaded from the internet. Four of the images were at the highest level of seriousness. He also admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) that restricted his access to children. The SOPO was first imposed in September 2004 at Central Sussex Magistrates’ Court following a non-custodial sentence for possession of indecent images. In April 2012, he was convicted of breaching the order by obtaining further images and received a 12-month community order. He was arrested again in 2013 for another breach, and court-authorized remote monitoring software on his computer detected further violations while on bail.

Pleaded guilty to possession of five indecent images of young boys and breaching a sexual offences prevention order. History of prior convictions for similar offences in 2004 and 2012. Also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and registered as a sex offender indefinitely.

4 Sep 2015

August 2014 2 cases

Mark Mitchell

Robbery *

Sentence

5 years imprisonment

Mark Mitchell and Gemma Godfrey confronted a 20-year-old Brazilian student walking along Farm Road in Hove just after midnight on Tuesday 21 April. Mitchell threatened him with a knife and they stole £20 from him before running off. The victim flagged down a passing taxi driver who called the police. Officers searched the area and stopped Mitchell and Godfrey minutes later in Western Road.

Convicted after a five-day trial. Threatened victim with a knife during robbery.

15 Aug 2014

Gemma Godfrey

Robbery *

Sentence

4 years imprisonment

Convicted after a five-day trial. Participated in confronting and robbing the victim.

15 Aug 2014

Disclaimer: The information on this page is compiled from publicly available court records and published media reports. It is provided strictly for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as a definitive record of any individual's criminal history or legal status.

Offence names marked with an asterisk (*) reflect descriptions used in media reporting and may not correspond to the formal legal charge or indictment. Sentencing details are as reported and may be subject to subsequent appeal, variation, or correction by the courts.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The presence of a name on this page does not imply guilt, and some listed individuals may have had convictions overturned, sentences reduced, or charges withdrawn after the date of publication.

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182 High St, Lewes BN7 1YB, Lewes, BN7 1YB, United Kingdom

+441273480400

Wheelchair accessible entrance

Monday - Friday: 08:30 - 16:30

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About Lewes Crown Court

Lewes Crown Court, located in Lewes, is a Crown Court that handles serious criminal cases including murder, rape, robbery, and other indictable offences. With 203 sentencing records in our database, it is one of the Crown Courts serving the Lewes area. Crown Courts sit with a judge and jury, and have the power to impose the full range of sentences available under UK law.

The court can be found at 182 High St, Lewes BN7 1YB, BN7 1YB.

Accessibility provisions at this court include wheelchair accessible entrance.

For enquiries about cases heard at this court, you can contact the court by telephone on +441273480400.

All sentencing information published on this page has been sourced from publicly-available records and verified by our editorial team. If you believe any information is inaccurate or should be removed, you can submit a removal request directly from the relevant listing above.

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Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

Mohammed Abusetta

Kane Lawrence

Marlena Meczynska-Shiibashi

Ronald Coggins

Joseph Lavelle

Justin Hurst

Matthew Taylor

George Roy Balcombe Jestico

Philip Olliver

Jonathan Wenham

Stephen May

David Mould

Charlie Pitcairn

Graham Cleaver

Anthony Coates

David Sole

Denise Antonia

Farzana Kausar

William Westein

Derry Maher

Ryan Selby

Monique Moss

Brett Ford

Sally Ann Dixon

Napindi Palu

Katie Price

Charlie Jones

Michael Tizzard

Patrick Foley

Verphy Kudi

Carl Stocker

Jennifer Johnson

John Davis

Christopher Fenton

Jennie Johnson

Connor Mackay

Rhys Kersey

Tara Perry

Mark Stevens

Joshua Sawyer

Alan David Oakman

Mark Oak

Michael Goodwin

Daniel Appleton

Michael Surman

Marie Keane

Russell Bishop

Mark Furnevel

Mark Mitchell

Gemma Godfrey

About Lewes Crown Court

Nearby Courts

Brighton Magistrates Court

Worthing Magistrates Court

Crawley Magistrates Court

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Sevenoaks Magistrates Court

Croydon Magistrates Court

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