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Philip Smith|Murder|Leicester Crown CourtDaniel Flatters|Sexual activity with a child|Liverpool Crown CourtPhillip Fraczek|Murder|Snaresbrook Crown CourtAdam Hall|Rape and causing grievous bodily harm|Newcastle Crown CourtHenry Hathaway|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtDanius Melgailis|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtMohammed Ahmed|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtAlfie Cook|Causing death by dangerous driving|Bristol Crown CourtPhilip Smith|Murder|Leicester Crown CourtDaniel Flatters|Sexual activity with a child|Liverpool Crown CourtPhillip Fraczek|Murder|Snaresbrook Crown CourtAdam Hall|Rape and causing grievous bodily harm|Newcastle Crown CourtHenry Hathaway|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtDanius Melgailis|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtMohammed Ahmed|Conspiracy to commit robbery, grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage|Bristol Crown CourtAlfie Cook|Causing death by dangerous driving|Bristol Crown Court

Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

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

Lewes Crown Court
August 2014 1 case
Joshua Martyn
Fraud and theft *
Sentence
18 months imprisonment
Joshua Martyn, 21, from Somerhill Avenue, Hove, posed as a fake paramedic with no medical qualifications beyond a basic first aid course. He conned vulnerable elderly people by pretending to provide medical care, using purchased medical equipment and a marked paramedic vehicle. His activities began coming to police attention in 2010. In September 2011, he was arrested for defrauding and assaulting a 71-year-old woman in Warren Drive, Crawley, whom he lived with. While on bail, he committed further offences including assault and fraud. In 2012, he targeted a couple in their eighties in West Hoathly, leading to additional charges. He was involved in forging documents, theft, and battery against terminally ill victims.
Pleaded guilty to fraud and theft. Convicted after three years of investigation involving multiple offences against vulnerable elderly victims.
11 Aug 2014
brightonandhovenews.org
February 2014 1 case
Narendren Pirabakaran
Rape *
Sentence
five-and-a-half years imprisonment
Narendren Pirabakaran met a 22-year-old woman in a club in Brighton on 28 March 2013. She had been drinking with friends and became separated from them. He took her back to his flat in Station Road, Portslade, where she awoke the next day with no memory of leaving the club and suspected she had been a victim of serious sexual assault. She reported the offence to police, showed officers the flat, and Pirabakaran, the tenant from Sri Lanka, was arrested a few days later.
Found guilty after trial. To be deported upon completion of sentence.
6 Feb 2014
brightonandhovenews.org
November 2013 1 case
Connah Smith
Attempted murder *
Sentence
Life imprisonment with minimum term of 15 years
On Saturday 29 March 2013, Connah Smith, armed with a hammer, knives, imitation firearm, a jerry can full of petrol, matches and gaffer tape in a rucksack, entered the home of two nurses, Gabby Price and Megan Parson, in Dean Street, Brighton. He inflicted a seven-hour ordeal, repeatedly stabbing and threatening to kill them, asking how they wanted to die, holding them under water in the bath, forcing them to lie on a bed where he doused them in petrol and threw lit matches at them. The victims escaped when one claimed to have suffered a miscarriage.
Denied attempted murder charges but was convicted by a jury. Pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, threats to kill and false imprisonment. Sentence covers all offences. Sentenced by Judge Shani Barnes, Recorder of Brighton and Hove.
11 Nov 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
October 2013 1 case
Louis Dempsey
Fraud by making a false representation *
Sentence
9 months imprisonment
In June 2012, Louis Dempsey staged a fall on a wet surface in the Asda supermarket at the Marina store in Brighton, claiming it was due to the store's negligence. He subsequently claimed compensation of £11,000 for back and neck pain, headaches, and emotional suffering. CCTV footage showed him walking across the area beforehand without issue and looking around, contradicting his story. After the footage was sent to his solicitor, he went silent for over a year, but the claim persisted. Asda reported the matter to Sussex Police, leading to his arrest and prosecution authorized by the CPS. In his police interview, he denied any wrongdoing.
Convicted after a trial on a charge of fraud by making a false representation.
9 Oct 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
September 2013 1 case
Harry Killick
Theft of firearm and ammunition *
Sentence
five years imprisonment
Corporal Harry Killick, 37, of Ambleside Avenue, Peacehaven, stole an SA80 rifle and live ammunition from his barracks. In October 2012, he went to his ex-girlfriend Jackie Lothian’s home in Ditchling armed with the rifle and ammunition, planning to kill himself. He confronted her brother Jason Lothian with the loaded weapon, terrifying him. The brother escaped and called police, and Killick complied without physical injury occurring. The judge noted Killick's broken marriage, breakup with girlfriend, and £20,000 debts as factors.
Admitted the offences but blamed post-traumatic stress disorder. Judge ruled his evidence about experiences in Afghanistan was false. Indefinite restraining order imposed not to contact ex-girlfriend or her brother.
4 Sep 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
August 2013 1 case
Garry Hacker
Theft and fraud *
Sentence
3 years imprisonment
Garry Hacker, a 50-year-old insolvency practitioner from Lenham Avenue, Saltdean, stole £235,000 while working for Chantrey Vellacott, a firm of accountants in Boundary Road, Hove. The offences took place over ten years and came to light in February 2010 when another employee discovered the loss of a £5663.75 cheque. Hacker lied about the missing cheque, claiming it had been returned to a creditor as part of an internal fraud investigation. He abused his position of trust by redirecting funds to his own and other accounts under his control to support his high-maintenance lifestyle, despite earning a good salary and claiming legitimate expenses. Hacker was declared bankrupt in August 2010.
Admitted theft and fraud at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 30 May. Judge Anthony Scott-Gall praised Detective Constable Dave Foster for the thoroughness of his investigation. Nominal confiscation order of £1 granted.
7 Aug 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
May 2013 1 case
Lorna Murray
Possession of drugs with intent to supply *
Sentence
two-year suspended prison sentence
Lorna Murray was raided at her Modena Road home in August 2012, where police uncovered cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, diazepam, and cannabis worth £5,800. She admitted to seven counts of possession with intent to supply.
Admitted seven counts of possession of drugs with intent to supply. Later ordered to pay £91,634.33 under Proceeds of Crime Act or serve 12 months imprisonment if unpaid within three months; also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs.
1 May 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
April 2013 1 case
Graham Wheatley
Rape *
Sentence
8 years imprisonment
Graham Wheatley raped a 13-year-old girl in Thetford, Norfolk, in 2003, and sexually assaulted her when she was 14 years old in Portslade. The victim came forward to police in 2010 after living in fear for many years. The charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service following an investigation by Sussex Police child protection detectives.
Pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault. Ordered to register as a sex offender for life on release from prison. Served with a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) severely restricting access to children.
5 Apr 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
January 2013 1 case
Adam White
Manslaughter *
Sentence
10 years imprisonment
Adam White stabbed 39-year-old Jeff Burrows to death in his flat in Norfolk Square, Brighton, on Sunday 29 April 2012, following a trivial dispute about drugs and a stolen scooter. Emergency services were called at 7.40pm, and Burrows died shortly after 9pm despite treatment by paramedics. A post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as stabbing. White was arrested in Liverpool and convicted by a jury on Thursday 29 November 2012.
Found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a 14-day trial. Sentenced on Thursday 3 January.
3 Jan 2013
brightonandhovenews.org
September 2012 1 case
Roderick Macdonald
Sexual assault by touching *
Sentence
1 year imprisonment suspended for 2 years
Roderick MacDonald, then known as Roderick Robinson, of Upper Rock Gardens, Brighton, sexually assaulted by touching two girls aged five and seven on a yacht at Sussex Yacht Club in Shoreham on 4 June 2012.
Also issued with a sexual offence prevention order (SOPO) prohibiting access to any under-18s. Registered sex offender for life.
18 Sep 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
August 2012 2 cases
Akintunde Drummond-Brown
Robbery *
Sentence
Indeterminate sentence of at least five years
Milan Mraz, 31, and Akintunde Drummond-Brown, 21, both of no fixed address, held up the Brighton Belles massage parlour in Montpelier Road, Brighton, at about 3.30am on Sunday 29 April. They had a knife and an imitation firearm when they threatened and robbed the women working at the massage parlour. Two customers and a male member of staff were also present. They stole several hundred pounds from staff and from the safe. Drummond-Brown was arrested in North Road with two large kitchen knives and several hundred pounds taken from staff and the safe. Some of the staff received minor bruising but fortunately none of them required hospital treatment. They were all visibly shocked by their ordeal.
Pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, an imitation firearm and three counts of robbery.
28 Aug 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
Milan Mraz
Robbery *
Sentence
Indeterminate sentence of at least five years
Milan Mraz, 31, and Akintunde Drummond-Brown, 21, both of no fixed address, held up the Brighton Belles massage parlour in Montpelier Road, Brighton, at about 3.30am on Sunday 29 April. They had a knife and an imitation firearm when they threatened and robbed the women working at the massage parlour. Two customers and a male member of staff were also present. They stole several hundred pounds from staff and from the safe. Mraz was arrested in Western Road with an imitation firearm. Some of the staff received minor bruising but fortunately none of them required hospital treatment. They were all visibly shocked by their ordeal.
Pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, an imitation firearm and three counts of robbery.
28 Aug 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
June 2012 1 case
Jeremy Forrest
Child abduction and sexual activity with a child *
Sentence
5.5 years imprisonment
Married teacher Jeremy Forrest, aged 31, abducted his 15-year-old pupil from Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and spent seven days on the run with her in France. The incident involved child abduction and five counts of sexual activity with a child.
Pleaded not guilty to abduction, raising a defence that he took the girl to France to prevent her from succumbing to suicidal tendencies. Judge Michael Lawson QC noted the evidence given by the girl varied from her original police interviews and was designed to support the defence. Sentenced for child abduction and five counts of sexual activity with a child.
1 Jun 2012
independent.co.uk
May 2012 1 case
Neil La Touche
Making indecent images of children *
Sentence
9 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years
Neil La Touche, a 36-year-old freelance computer engineer and former American Express employee, was arrested in November 2010 at his flat in Cromwell Road, Hove, following an intelligence-led investigation by Sussex Police's Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team. He had admitted to making more than 20,000 indecent images of children downloaded from the internet. There was no evidence of contact offending with children or that the images were of local children.
Pleaded guilty to making more than 20,000 indecent images of children. Placed under supervision for two years, served with a sexual offence prevention order restricting internet access, ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, attend a sex offender treatment programme, and pay £300 court costs. Also ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.
25 May 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
February 2012 2 cases
Russell Chandler
Making false representations *
Sentence
18 months imprisonment
Russell Chandler, 29, of Cambridge Road, Hove, targeted small businesses across the country by pretending to offer contacts for work through his company Harrington Builds UK, which had an address in Preston Road, Brighton, and a professional-looking website. He employed sales staff to cold-call tradesmen advertising online, persuading them to pay a 'one-off administration fee' of £250, promising refunds, contracts, and subcontracting work in areas like cleaning, painting and decorating, electrical work, garden maintenance, and rubbish collection. Businesses provided documents and references but received no work and could not contact the company when suspicious. The scam operated from Brighton and Hove during 2011, investigated by Brighton and Hove City Council trading standards department for false representations. The technique was similar to that used by his previous company FPBUK, also known as Future Build UK.
Pleaded guilty to 11 counts of making false representations. Also known as Alfred Chase. Linked to previous companies FPBUK (dissolved) and A Chase Associates.
21 Feb 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
Sharlene James
Perverting the course of justice *
Sentence
2 years imprisonment
In the early hours of 8 November 2011, Sharlene James falsely claimed to have been pulled into the New Steine community gardens and raped by a man who had tried to engage her in conversation. This false allegation sparked fears of a serial attacker in Brighton and wasted police resources during an ongoing investigation into genuine incidents in the Kemp Town area.
Found guilty of committing a series of acts with intent to pervert the course of justice.
20 Feb 2012
brightonandhovenews.org
December 2011 1 case
Charles Cawley
Making and possession of indecent images of children; attempting to pervert the course of justice *
Sentence
2 years imprisonment
In September 2010, Sussex Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team arrested Charles Cawley on suspicion of trying to influence witnesses in a trial for previous indecent image offences. Officers found a laptop at his address containing approximately 1,000 video and still images of the most serious child abuse. There was no evidence of actual offending with children by Cawley, direct or online. The offences came to light during the investigation into his attempts to pervert the course of justice.
Pleaded guilty to ten offences of making indecent images of children, four offences of having such images, and one offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice. 15 months for indecent image offences and 9 months for perverting the course of justice, to run consecutively. Made subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
14 Dec 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
October 2011 1 case
George Sithole
Murder *
Sentence
life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years
On October 26, 2004, in the early hours, George Sithole, motivated by jealousy after his relationship with Siphenphile Mercy Mlalazi ended, purchased 1.8 litres of petrol and matches from a Tesco garage where he worked as a cleaner. He poured the petrol into an empty Coke bottle and went to the semi-detached house in Banks Road, Pound Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, where Ms Mlalazi was staying with the Sibanda family. Sithole set fire to the house, engulfing it in flames within minutes. Ms Mlalazi and Donald Sibanda escaped by jumping from their first-floor windows, but their six-year-old daughter Dumo Sibanda, whose bedroom was at the back, died from smoke inhalation despite resuscitation efforts by paramedics. Sithole stood outside unaffected, fled to South Africa, evaded justice for seven years, and was extradited to the UK on March 16, 2011.
Found guilty by jurors after more than two hours of deliberation. Judge Richard Brown described his account as 'appalling nonsense' and noted his lack of remorse, wicked and jealous behaviour, and intent to kill Mercy while putting other lives at risk. Prior relationship with victim Mercy ended, leading to accusations of cheating.
26 Oct 2011
independent.co.uk
July 2011 1 case
James Brown
Robbery *
Sentence
4 years and 8 weeks detention
James Brown, 18, of Dyke Road, Brighton, carried out five armed robberies between Thursday 27 January and Tuesday 1 February in locations including Station Street, New Dorset Street, St Nicholas Road, Pelham Street in Brighton, and Hove Park Villas in Hove. He approached victims from behind, threatened to stab them, wore a hooded top and hid his face with a scarf, stealing cash, phones, a wallet, and a purse.
Pleaded guilty to five charges of robbery and five charges of having a knife. Sentences for robberies and knife offences to run concurrently. Previously had an eight-week suspended sentence for car crime, activated and to be served consecutively. Prior sentence in April last year for robbery and having a knife.
22 Jul 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
June 2011 2 cases
Al Amin Dhalla
Stalking *
Sentence
Indeterminate imprisonment with minimum term of 6 years
Al Amin Dhalla, a 42-year-old Canadian bank auditor based in London, met trainee doctor Alison Hewitt in November 2009 through an online dating agency. They started dating in early 2010, and he moved into her Brighton home. After she ended the relationship in December 2010 due to his lies about his age, origins, and background, Dhalla began a four-month campaign of stalking and harassment against her and her mother Pamela Hewitt. He bombarded Miss Hewitt with obsessive messages, sent malicious letters to her employers, and hired a private detective to follow her. He set fire to Pamela Hewitt's home near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, using accelerants, and attempted to set fire to a nearby police station. Dhalla equipped himself with weapons including an air rifle, BB pistol, two modified mini crossbows, and ammunition, and adapted a van for potential kidnapping. He was spotted practicing target shooting near Chippenham, Wiltshire, and his van contained tools, weapons, and navigation programmed to victims' addresses. He masqueraded as a doctor at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath to locate Miss Hewitt. Arrested twice, the second time by armed police. The campaign involved arson, aggravated harassment, theft, criminal damage, and perverting the course of justice.
Pleaded not guilty, found guilty by jury in February. Judge Charles Kemp noted narcissistic personality, rejected stalker, high risk of reoffending. Orders to destroy weapons and restraining order issued. To be deported to Canada after sentence. Already served 14 months on remand.
29 Jun 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
Peter Foster
Murder *
Sentence
life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years
Peter Foster murdered his partner, Detective Constable Heather Cooper, on October 16, 2010, at their home in Haslemere, Surrey, while she was on maternity leave with their second child, Isabel, who was three months old. The attack began after an argument following a christening, escalating when Cooper allegedly swiped at him with a knife. Foster hit her over the head 10 times with a baseball bat and then stabbed her in the throat, rendering her unconscious before the stabbing. The couple's children, Joshua (three years old) and Isabel, were present during the attack. Foster cleaned the blood-soaked scene, hid Cooper's body in a shallow grave in Blackdown Woods near Lurgashall, West Sussex, covered with bracken, and attempted to create an alibi by sending misleading text messages claiming Cooper had left him due to an affair. He took the children to his grandmother's house and confessed to police, leading them to the body. Post-mortem showed injuries inconsistent with self-defence, suggesting self-inflicted wounds on Foster.
Pleaded guilty to murder. Described by Judge Richard Brown as an extremely dangerous individual. Aggravating factors included the attack occurring in front of the couple's children, defendant's martial arts training, and use of two weapons. Prior conviction for drink driving and dangerous driving in 2010.
28 Jun 2011
independent.co.uk
April 2011 2 cases
Lee Johnson
Possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply *
Sentence
4 years imprisonment
Lee Johnson was arrested on 6 December 2010 after a police stop and search in Brighton where drugs and nearly £7,000 cash were found on him. His home was searched, revealing a substantial amount of drugs. An electricity bill in a false name led police to a rented unit at Town House Farm in Thakeham, where a cannabis factory and large quantities of cannabis resin, skunk cannabis, herbal cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy, and other drugs with a street value of about £45,000 were discovered. Johnson had rented the building for seven years using cash and a false identity.
Pleaded guilty to 12 charges of having controlled class A, B and C drugs with intent to supply and two charges of producing a class B drug. Also ordered to pay £66,000 under Proceeds of Crime Act within 6 months or serve additional 18 months.
14 Apr 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
Francis Bridgeman
Perverting the course of justice *
Sentence
12 months imprisonment
Francis Bridgeman, a 43-year-old city lawyer, crashed his Land Rover Sport into a telegraph pole in Shovers Green, Ticehurst, East Sussex, at about 1am on April 7, 2010, while over the drink-drive limit. To avoid arrest, he fabricated a story of being kidnapped by armed men from Wadhurst railway station car park, driven off at knifepoint with a bag over his head, and dumped in Cousley Wood. Police found his DNA on the airbag, CCTV showed him drunk at London Bridge station, and his breath test confirmed he was just over the limit. He was charged with perverting the course of justice, drink-driving, driving without due care and attention, and failing to report a road accident.
Banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay £4,200 costs. Pleaded not guilty; jury found him guilty after a five-day trial. Judge commented on wasting police time and public expense, and quoted Sir Walter Scott's poem Marmion.
7 Apr 2011
independent.co.uk
March 2011 2 cases
Christopher Smith
Robbery *
Sentence
2 years and 8 months imprisonment
Christopher Smith, 20, from Commonwealth Drive, Crawley, along with Joseph Baldwin and a 15-year-old boy, committed a vicious robbery on Brighton Beach at 11.45pm on Tuesday 9 November 2010. The victim, a 25-year-old man from Croydon, was attacked because the offenders did not like the way he looked at them. The attack involved punching and kicking the victim while he was on the ground and using his head like a football. They stole cash and jewellery but continued the assault despite his pleas to stop. The three were traced to the Brighton Beach Hotel by firearm officers after a hotel key was found at the scene. All three were arrested, and most of the property was recovered from their rooms. The victim suffered a traumatic ordeal, resulting in panic attacks and fear of leaving his house.
Pleaded guilty to robbery and two counts of assaulting a police officer.
25 Mar 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
Joseph Baldwin
Robbery *
Sentence
2 years and 8 months imprisonment
Joseph Baldwin, 20, from Commonwealth Drive, Crawley, along with Christopher Smith and a 15-year-old boy, committed a vicious robbery on Brighton Beach at 11.45pm on Tuesday 9 November 2010. The victim, a 25-year-old man from Croydon, was attacked because the offenders did not like the way he looked at them. The attack involved punching and kicking the victim while he was on the ground and using his head like a football. They stole cash and jewellery but continued the assault despite his pleas to stop. The three were traced to the Brighton Beach Hotel by firearm officers after a hotel key was found at the scene. All three were arrested, and most of the property was recovered from their rooms. The victim suffered a traumatic ordeal, resulting in panic attacks and fear of leaving his house.
Pleaded guilty to robbery, resisting a police officer, and causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
25 Mar 2011
brightonandhovenews.org
September 2010 3 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
brightonandhovenews.org
Babak Iran
Perverting the course of justice *
Sentence
7 years imprisonment
Babak Iran, father of Sean and Navid Iran, helped cover up the murder of Stefan Welch by assisting in the disposal and burning of the body on the golf course at The Dyke Golf Club, discovered on 4 September 2009.
Father of Sean and Navid Iran, assisted his son in covering up the murder after it occurred.
6 Sep 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
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
brightonandhovenews.org
July 2010 4 cases
Matthew Thole
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
4 years imprisonment
Matthew Thole, 40, a company director, of Cefn Mably Park, Michaelston-y-Fedw, Cardiff, conspired with others including John McCracken, John Brice, Paul Spicer, Gregory Spicer, and Lee O’Donnell between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted after a two-week trial; pleaded not guilty. Judge Richard Hayward presided.
31 Jul 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
John Mccracken
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
4 years imprisonment
John McCracken, 47, unemployed, of Whitehawk Road, Brighton, conspired with others including John Brice, Matthew Thole, Paul Spicer, Gregory Spicer, and Lee O’Donnell between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted after a two-week trial; pleaded not guilty. Judge Richard Hayward presided.
31 Jul 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
John Brice
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
5 years imprisonment
John Brice, 40, self-employed, of Sandringham Drive, Hove, conspired with others including John McCracken, Matthew Thole, Paul Spicer, Gregory Spicer, and Lee O’Donnell between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted after a two-week trial; pleaded not guilty. Judge Richard Hayward presided.
31 Jul 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
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
standard.co.uk
June 2010 3 cases
Lee O’Donnell
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
15 years imprisonment
Lee O’Donnell, from Brighton and Hove, conspired with others including Paul Spicer, Gregory Spicer, John McCracken, John Brice, and Matthew Thole between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted in June; specific individual sentence not broken down, but total for Spicers and O’Donnell was 15 years.
1 Jun 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
Gregory Spicer
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
15 years imprisonment
Gregory Spicer, from Brighton and Hove, conspired with others including Paul Spicer, Lee O’Donnell, John McCracken, John Brice, and Matthew Thole between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted in June; specific individual sentence not broken down, but total for Spicers and O’Donnell was 15 years.
1 Jun 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
Paul Spicer
Conspiracy to defraud *
Sentence
15 years imprisonment
Paul Spicer, from Brighton and Hove, conspired with others including Gregory Spicer, Lee O’Donnell, John McCracken, John Brice, and Matthew Thole between April 2003 and February 2008 to defraud prospective and actual participants in purported horse race betting and investment services. They dishonestly made false claims, sent glossy brochures promising profits and guarantees, and obtained up to £5 million from unsuspecting investors over six years. The schemes used fictitious names like Tim O’Brien Racing and others, with fraudulent brochures sent unsolicited since 1999.
Convicted in June; specific individual sentence not broken down, but total for Spicers and O’Donnell was 15 years.
1 Jun 2010
brightonandhovenews.org
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
brightonandhovenews.org
October 2009 1 case
Gordon Brian Redmond
Rape and indecent assault *
Sentence
19 years imprisonment
Gordon Brian Redmond repeatedly raped and indecently assaulted five young girls aged between 10 and 15 over a 20-year period starting in the 1960s. The first victim was indecently assaulted at age 10 and raped from age 11. He indecently assaulted another girl aged 12 in the 1970s, a third victim aged 11, and a 15-year-old girl. A fifth victim, aged 12 at the time, was also abused but had never reported it until traced by police. The abuse was reported to Sussex Police in January 2007, 35 years after the initial offenses.
Found guilty by a jury after a three-year investigation. DC Lou Hays praised the victims' bravery and noted the case's complexity.
1 Oct 2009
brightonandhovenews.org
May 2009 2 cases
Matthew Fowler
Criminal damage *
Sentence
18 months imprisonment
Matthew Fowler, 32, from Brighton, and Richard Markwick, 19, from Lancing, engaged in a four-year vandalism spree from November 2005 to May 2009, spraying graffiti on railways and trains in Brighton and Lancing, causing £30,000 in damage. They risked their lives by accessing dangerous areas with no refuge from trains, trip hazards, and risks of getting feet trapped in railway points. They continued offending after arrest and while on bail. Their trademark tag was 'POSH'.
Pleaded guilty to 21 counts of criminal damage. Admitted to 241 offences. Remanded in custody from September until sentencing. Given a three-year antisocial behaviour order banning him from carrying paint, marker pens, or glass etching or staining equipment.
20 May 2009
brightonandhovenews.org
Richard Markwick
Criminal damage *
Sentence
15 months in a young offenders' institution
Matthew Fowler, 32, from Brighton, and Richard Markwick, 19, from Lancing, engaged in a four-year vandalism spree from November 2005 to May 2009, spraying graffiti on railways and trains in Brighton and Lancing, causing £30,000 in damage. They risked their lives by accessing dangerous areas with no refuge from trains, trip hazards, and risks of getting feet trapped in railway points. They continued offending after arrest and while on bail. Their trademark tag was 'POSH'.
Pleaded guilty to 21 counts of criminal damage. Admitted to 241 offences. Remanded in custody from September until sentencing. Given a three-year antisocial behaviour order banning him from carrying paint, marker pens, or glass etching or staining equipment.
20 May 2009
brightonandhovenews.org
January 2009 1 case
John Cope
Sexual grooming *
Sentence
1 year imprisonment suspended for 2 years
John Cope, a 44-year-old IT supply teacher at Brighton and Hove High School, sexually groomed a 14-year-old pupil who developed a crush on him. He denied the grooming but was found guilty after a trial. He was arrested in May 2008 and subsequently sacked from the school.
Found guilty after trial on December 7. Also made subject of supervision order, required to sign as Registered Sex Offender, 7pm-7am tagged curfew for 6 months, required to attend sex offender programme, made subject of Sexual Offence Prevention Order, and reported to Independent Safeguarding Authority.
8 Jan 2009
brightonandhovenews.org
December 2007 1 case
Richard Blackwood
Drug dealing and money laundering *
Sentence
5 years imprisonment
Richard Blackwood was arrested for money laundering in November 2005. In August 2007, while on bail, he was caught selling class A drugs (cocaine and heroin) by undercover officers from Sussex Police. The court was told he had made £81,000 from these activities.
Jailed for eight counts of drug dealing and money laundering. Made £81,000 which was spent on cars, jewellery and foreign travel.
1 Dec 2007
brightonandhovenews.org
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
courtnewsuk.co.uk
December 2001 1 case
Roy Whiting
Abduction and murder *
Sentence
life imprisonment
Roy Whiting abducted and murdered 8-year-old Sarah Payne on the evening of 1 July 2000 from a cornfield in Kingston Lane, Kingston Gorse, West Sussex. Her body was discovered in a field near Pulborough, West Sussex, on 17 July 2000. Forensic evidence including fibres from Whiting's white Fiat Ducato van on Sarah's shoe and a strand of her hair found in the van (one-in-a-billion DNA match) linked him to the crime. He had provided a false alibi contradicted by a fuel receipt.
Pleaded not guilty to abduction and murder. Convicted after a four-week trial before Mr Justice Curtis. The trial judge stated it was a rare case in which a life sentence should mean life. Previous convictions for indecent assault and abduction withheld from jury.
12 Dec 2001
en.wikipedia.org
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
courtnewsuk.co.uk
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
courtnewsuk.co.uk
Date Not Specified 5 cases
Joao-Carlos Jardim Dos Santos Teixeira
Sharing and discussing paedophile material *
Sentence
11 years and four months imprisonment
Joao-Carlos Jardim Dos Santos Teixeira ran a number of online child abuse chat groups, sharing and discussing paedophile material online, including AI generated images.
From Eastbourne, aged 26. NCA officers arrested him at his home in February 2024 and seized devices.
1 Jan 0001
mirror.co.uk
Ko
Conspiracy to supply class A drugs *
Sentence
Suspended sentence
KO was charged with others with conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Lengthy delay between plea and sentence led to submissions that she should not be sent to prison.
1 Jan 0001
mountfordchambers.com
Kr
Sexual assault *
Sentence
Community order
KR admitted sexually assaulting a co-worker on duty.
Full mitigation heard; KR is a doctor.
1 Jan 0001
mountfordchambers.com
Js
Manslaughter *
Sentence
Hospital order
JS was charged with the murder of his mother. After obtaining a number of reports, a plea to manslaughter was accepted.
Plea to manslaughter accepted due to significant history of poor mental health.
1 Jan 0001
mountfordchambers.com
Michael Lane
Murder *
Sentence
Life imprisonment with minimum term of 25 years
Michael Lane murdered his former girlfriend Shana Grice on 25 August 2016 by slitting her throat and setting fire to her bedroom while she was alone at her home on Chrisdory Road, Portslade, East Sussex. This followed a period of stalking including placing a tracker on her car, sending unwanted flowers, damaging her car, snatching her phone, grabbing her hair, entering her home uninvited using a stolen key to watch her sleeping, and multiple phone calls. He had previously been arrested for assault and theft but received only a caution.
Admitted to stalking Grice but pleaded not guilty to murdering her. Found guilty after a two-week trial. Judge criticised Sussex Police for failing to take Grice's complaints seriously.
1 Jan 0001
en.wikipedia.org

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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Court Image
182 High St, Lewes BN7 1YB, Lewes, BN7 1YB, United Kingdom
+441273480400
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Monday - Friday: 08:30 - 16:30

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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