Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

Explore 107 verdicts at Lewes Crown Court (Lewes). Updated with the latest court outcomes.

September 2010 2 cases

Navid Iran

Perverting the course of justice *

Sentence

6 years imprisonment

Navid Iran, brother of Sean Iran, assisted in covering up the murder of Stefan Welch by helping to dispose of and burn the body on the golf course at The Dyke Golf Club, discovered on 4 September 2009.

Helped cover up the murder by assisting in disposing of the body.

6 Sep 2010

Sean Iran

Murder *

Sentence

Life imprisonment with minimum term of 19 years

Sean Iran murdered 36-year-old Stefan Welch by hitting him on the head with a heavy blunt object, motivated by drug debts. Welch's body was dumped and set on fire in undergrowth at The Dyke Golf Club in Devil’s Dyke Road, discovered on 4 September 2009 by Malcolm McNeil. Iran, who met Welch in Lewes Prison in 2008 where Welch saved his life during a beating, betrayed their friendship. Iran and family members conspired to cover up the murder.

Registered sex offender, convicted of murder and conspiring to pervert the course of justice. No remorse shown. Prior convictions for attacking and robbing a 15-year-old boy and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

6 Sep 2010

July 2010 1 case

Kathleen Crane

Fraud by false representation *

Sentence

12-month community order, repay £18,721.52, 200 hours unpaid work, £1,550 costs

Kathleen Crane was accused of defrauding the Post Office of £18,721.52 based on shortfalls identified in an audit at the Old Town Post Office in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in January 2010. The shortfalls, which began appearing inexplicably since 2008, were caused by defects in the Post Office's Horizon IT system. Despite requesting investigation, no action was taken. She voluntarily attended an interview with investigators but was charged. Following legal advice that the system was infallible, she pleaded guilty. The case was part of the widespread Post Office scandal affecting hundreds of subpostmasters.

Pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation after legal advice; conviction quashed by Court of Appeal on 25 January 2024 as unsafe due to undisclosed Horizon IT defects.

1 Jul 2010

December 2009 1 case

Paul Goodenough

Exposure *

Sentence

2 year suspended sentence

Paul Goodenough was found guilty of knowingly or recklessly trespassing on premises with intent to commit a sexual offence on Ditchling Road, Brighton, on 16 August 2008, and Gratwicke Road, Worthing, on 31 January 2009, and of intentionally exposing his genitals intending to cause harm or distress in Brighton on 21 February 2009.

6 months tag (7pm-6am curfew), on sex offenders register for 10 years.

16 Dec 2009

February 2004 1 case

Graham Coutts

Murder *

Sentence

Life imprisonment with minimum term of 26 years

On March 14, 2003, Graham Coutts strangled Jane Longhurst, a 31-year-old violinist and special needs teacher, during a sexual assault at his home in Hove, Brighton. He used a pair of tights as a ligature while performing a sex act on himself. After her death, he hid her body in his garden shed for eleven days, then moved it to a storage unit at Big Yellow Storage in Brighton, where he visited it multiple times. On April 17, 2003, he transported the decomposing body to Wiggonholt Common in West Sussex, dumped it in a cardboard box, and set it alight. The remains were discovered on April 19, 2003, and identified by dental records. Evidence included necrophilic images on his computer, traces of her blood on his clothing, and a used condom in the storage unit suggesting post-mortem intercourse.

Judge Richard Hone rejected Coutts' claim that Ms Longhurst consented to the act, stating it was inconceivable she had agreed to what he did.

1 Feb 2004

August 2000 1 case

Dena Thompson

Deception *

Sentence

3 years and 9 months imprisonment

Dena Thompson deceived multiple men through a web of lies, including fabricating stories of wealth from deals with Walt Disney, faking terminal illnesses, and promising a luxurious life in Florida. She conned victims out of money, such as stealing from bank accounts and credit cards, and was involved in fraudulent activities like bigamy and attempting to claim life insurance. Specifically, for the deception charges, she admitted to offences that included conning men financially while maintaining relationships under false pretenses, with incidents dating back to the early 1990s.

Admitted 15 charges of deception. Judge Michael Hyam described her actions as utterly ruthless and without any pity, noting she thought she would benefit financially from a victim's death.

1 Aug 2000

November 1988 1 case

John Taylor

Rape *

Sentence

9 years imprisonment

John Taylor, 37, from St. Leonards, raped a 20-year-old girl at gunpoint. He was imprisoned after a nine-day trial.

Appeal thrown out on Monday.

2 Nov 1988

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.

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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 107 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.