These are some of the most serious, high profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the second month of 2025.
All information comes directly from Sussex Police.
5. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2025
Three men have been sentenced following a brawl in a busy high street. In the afternoon of April 2, 2024, multiple men were reported to be involved in an altercation with weapons in Station Road and Franklin Road, Portslade. One of the perpetrators were seriously injured during the violence, suffering a large wound to their arm. Officers attended and between April 2 and April 4, nine people were arrested in connection with the police investigation. Two were later released without charge. Six of the men were charged on April 4 and appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court. Kosar Banaee, 20, from Brighton, was charged with violent disorder and remanded in custody. He was later released on court bail. Hogr Banaee, 24, from Hove, was charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. He was remanded in custody, but later released on court bail. Kozheen Banaee, 24, from Brighton, was charged with violent disorder, possession of an offensive weapon and grievous bodily harm with intent. He was remanded in custody, but later released on court bail. Ali Husseini, 20, from Brighton, was charged with violent disorder and bailed with strict conditions. Ayob Mohammed, 21, of Western Road, Brighton, was charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon and remanded in custody. He was later released on court bail. Sardam Qadir, 31 of Blacksail Walk, Oldham, was charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon and bailed with strict conditions. On April 5, Sarbast Ibrahimi, 25, of Westry Close, Norfolk, was also charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. He appeared at court the following day where he was remanded in custody, but later released on court bail. The case went to trial at Brighton Crown Court in November 2024, where Kosar Banaee, Hogr Banaee, Kozeen Banaee, and Husseini were acquitted. Three men, Mohammed, Qadir and Ibrahimi, were all found guilty of their involvement and were released on bailed ahead of their sentencing. On Photo: Sussex Police
6. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2025
Two drug-dealers linked to the 'UK’s biggest ever law enforcement operation' have been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Isshaq Khan and his nephew Jan Lee were both arrested as part of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Venetic, an investigation into the EncroChat encrypted communications platform, in 2020. EncroChat was a service provider – since dismantled – which enabled criminals to communicate securely with one another. But with the assistance of European law agencies, users’ data was hacked and shared with police forces across the UK. This enabled Sussex Police to identify Khan, 30, of Grace Road, Crawley, and Lee, 33, of Percivale Close, Crawley, as both having EncroChat accounts, which they used to openly discuss their criminal activities. Due to the overwhelming evidence against them, both defendants entered guilty pleas and were sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on February 14 to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment each. In summing up, the judge stated they both played a leading role as they were directing or organising at a commercial scale, and were local wholesale suppliers in the Crawley/Sussex area. Photo: Sussex Police
7. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2025
A man has been jailed for 21 months after wielding a metal motorcycle chain to smash numerous car windows in Bognor. Inde Sneddon, 24, of no fixed address, was sentenced when he appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on February 13. He had been remanded in custody since December 20 when he shouted homophobic abuse at a bus driver and smashed the bus window, before stealing a motorcycle chain and smashing windows of a number of parked cars in the Nyewood Lane area. When police responded he continued to wield the chain, threatening to kill a police officer and kicking a police dog. Sneddon was charged and pleaded guilty to 14 counts of criminal damage, resisting arrest, causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, theft from a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon, threats to kill, and a public order offence. Photo: Sussex Police
8. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in February 2025
A Brighton man who raped, controlled and abused a woman – including assaulting her into unconsciousness while she was pregnant – has been given a 20-year sentence. Police were first called to a property in Brighton on March 12, 2024, by a woman who had just been violently assaulted by a man who had taken her house keys and her phone. The victim – a woman in her 30s – was pregnant at the time of the assault. Her attacker – 29-year-old Dominic McStravick – had also threatened her and her unborn baby with a knife, before fleeing the scene. Officers swiftly attended the property and found significant damage throughout. Both victims were safeguarded and given support by specialist officers, while McStravick was arrested that same day. The victim disclosed a pattern of repeated rapes and extremely violent assaults stretching back to October 2023, during which McStravick, of no fixed address, sought to control every aspect of her life. McStravick was subsequently charged with rape, intentional strangulation, coercive and controlling behaviour, making threats to kill, causing actual bodily harm, theft, assault and two counts of criminal damage. He was remanded in custody and pleaded not guilty to rape and intentional strangulation, but entered guilty pleas for the remaining charges. Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, he was found guilty of rape and intentional strangulation on August 16, 2024, in addition to the previous guilty pleas. At Brighton Crown Court on January 28, McStravick was jailed for 15 years with a further five years to be spent on extended licence. He was also given an indefinite restraining order against both victims. Photo: Sussex Police