Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

Explore 367 verdicts at Lewes Crown Court (Lewes). Updated with the latest court outcomes.

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 3 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

April 2011 1 case

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

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 367 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

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

Joshua Martyn

Narendren Pirabakaran

Connah Smith

Louis Dempsey

Harry Killick

Garry Hacker

Lorna Murray

Graham Wheatley

Adam White

Roderick Macdonald

Akintunde Drummond-Brown

Milan Mraz

Jeremy Forrest

Neil La Touche

Russell Chandler

Sharlene James

Charles Cawley

George Sithole

James Brown

Al Amin Dhalla

Peter Foster

Lee Johnson

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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