These are some of the most serious, high-profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the second month of 2023.
All information comes directly from Sussex Police.
9. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2023
Two men who raped a teenage girl have been jailed. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Ashley Lewis, 36, (left) and Dylan Holden, 18, acted together, taking advantage of the girl who was intoxicated. Lewis was convicted of rape, sexual assault and theft and sentenced to 16-and-a-half years in prison at Lewes Crown Court on February 10, the CPS said. The CPS said Lewis also went on to sexually assault another teenage girl in central London in October 2021. He was later convicted of sexual assault and assault by beating. The CPS added that Holden was convicted of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. A CPS spokesperson said: “Lewis, described in court as a ‘sexual predator’, travelled down to Brighton from London on the day of the offence in June 2021 and spent part of the afternoon covertly filming women on the beach, where he later met the victim. He went on to jointly rape and sexually assault the victim with Holden in the city’s Royal Pavilion Gardens. Lewis stole the victim’s bag, which contained her mobile phone, bank cards and purse, after the attack. The two men had not met each other before that day, but DNA evidence linked them both to the attack. Hove Crown Court heard the victim had been chatting to friends on the beach but remembered nothing further about the evening. Passers-by saw the attack and intervened, taking her home in a taxi.” Adele Kelly, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East, said: “Ashley Lewis was a sexual predator, filming women covertly on Brighton beach that day before targeting the victim. While she was trying to piece together the events of the evening, Holden pretended he had tried to help her, despite the fact he and Lewis had raped the teenager. Each defendant had denied what they had done, choosing to blame the other, but our case was clear – that they were both involved in a joint attack. We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these horrific crimes to justice wherever our test is met. Women should be able Photo: Sussex Police
10. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2023
A man who penned a threatening hand-written note to demand money from a betting shop in St Leonards has been jailed, police said. Kenneth Brown, 56, of Marline Road, St Leonards, walked into Coral in Battle Road and slid a note across the counter, which read 'Give me the money or I’ll blow your head off’, Sussex Police added. While doing so, he wrapped a jacket around his hand and forearm giving the appearance he had a firearm. The cashier then withdrew £130 from the register and handed this over to Brown, who left the shop and attempted to cover a camera on his way out, police said. Brown was identified through CCTV from the betting shop and was subsequently charged with robbery. The incident happened on Monday, January 2. Police said he appeared before Lewes Crown Court on February 6 and pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. He had also pleaded guilty year at an earlier hearing to stealing an elderly woman’s purse outside Co-op in London Road, St Leonards, on Thursday, December 15 last year. Police said Brown was sentenced to a total of four years imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay £228 victim surcharge. Photo: Sussex Police
11. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2023
A Sussex man who burgled a flat, used stolen car keys to steal from a victim’s car and fraudulently used bank cards has been jailed, police have said. Sussex Police said that Anthony Smith, 49, of Wellington Road, Brighton, was sentenced to two years and five months in prison at Lewes Crown Court. Police explained that he was caught on CCTV on December 5, 2022, while entering a block of flats in Palmeira Square, Hove. Sussex Police said Smith was wearing a white fleece as he climbed the stairs, but descended shortly after wearing a large blue coat, with a second in his hands. One of the coats contained a resident’s car keys, which Smith used to steal expensive toiletries, clothing and £120 of alcohol drinks from the vehicle, police added. Sussex Police said the coat also had the victim’s bank cards in the pocket, which Smith used to make purchases at a number of shops and a McDonald’s nearby. He was captured on CCTV using the bank card in a local shop, wearing the same clothes as during the burglary. On December 9, 2022, Smith was arrested at his home address. A search of the property found several of the stolen items, which were returned to his victim, police added. Sussex Police said he was charged with burglary, theft from a motor vehicle and three counts of making false representation. At Lewes Crown Court on January 27, Smith pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to two years and five months in prison. Photo: Sussex Police
12. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2023
A man who carried out a violent and unprovoked attack on a homeless man in Worthing has been jailed for seven years, police confirmed. The 43-year-old victim had been sitting outside a shop in Montague Street when he was approached by the defendant. Police said without warning, he struck him over the head with a clear bottle twice, causing it to smash. Then, while holding the broken neck of the bottle, he stabbed the victim to the side of the head. Sussex Police said the victim sustained severe head and facial injuries which required emergency treatment. The defendant then ran from the scene and was chased by members of the public who witnessed the incident and physically restrained him until police arrived, police added. He was identified as Shaun Brown, 36, unemployed, of Brighton Road, Worthing, police said. He was arrested and charged with committing grievous bodily harm, which he pleaded guilty to, and was sentenced to seven years - consisting of four years’ imprisonment and three years on licence - at Lewes Crown Court on January 9. The attack happened in the afternoon of October 22, 2022, police said. Photo: Sussex Police