Police charge six men in relation to rapes and sexual assaults near Sussex beach

Sussex Police can now confirm they have charged and/or remanded six men in relation to these investigations in the Brighton and Hove area – all of the suspects the force were trying to locate.

All six of these victims, women whose bravery in reporting has allowed Sussex Police to bring these suspects into custody, have been supported by specialist officers and the force’s partners. This will continue every step of the way as Sussex Police moves through the judicial process.

Superintendent Adele Tucknott, Sussex Police’s lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, said: “Every one of these appalling incidents was treated with the seriousness they demanded, with hundreds of hours spent on painstaking investigations to identify and locate suspects.

“Alongside these investigations, each victim was offered support from specialist officers and our partners through this extremely difficult time.

“Each of these charges should send a clear message to anyone looking to harm women and girls in Brighton and Hove that we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice.

“The work to prevent incidents such as these happening continues alongside our partners, with extra patrols, a drone monitoring hard to reach areas like the beach and a host of other safety measures to reduce vulnerability and keep Brighton a safe place to enjoy a night out.”

These separate investigations fall under four distinct operations. Information around each of the charges is as follows and comes directly from Sussex Police:

Operation Lindwood

On Wednesday, September 6, police received a report that a young woman had been raped on the beach near Brighton Pier shortly after midnight.

Three days later, on Friday, September 8, officers were called to London Road in the early hours after a report that a woman in her 20s had been sexually assaulted at around 3.15am.

Ahmed Lahmatar, 36, of no fixed address, has been charged with rape and attempted rape and remanded in custody.

He is due to appear for trial at a court to be confirmed on March 4, 2024.

Operation Carpenter

On Sunday, September 10, police were called to the beach near the Kings Road Arches at around 5.35am by a member of the public concerned for the welfare of a woman in her 30s.

Ali Reza Mozaffari, 36, of Golders Green Road, London, has been charged with rape and remanded in custody.

Isaac Cid-Lopez, 22, of Radbourne Crescent in London, has been charged with rape and theft. He has been released on court bail with strict conditions.

Both will appear at a court to be confirmed on February 26, 2024.

Operation Embassy

In the early hours of Saturday, September 16, police received a report that a woman in her 20s had been raped on the beach.

Following enquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape and being in possession of a class B drug – cannabis. He has been remanded in custody in relation to a separate matter.

Operation France

In the early hours of September 24, a woman reported being raped on the seafront near Brighton Pier, and another sexually assaulted nearby.

Altaib Hamed, 25, of Lewes Road in Brighton, has now been charged with rape and remanded in custody.

Bader Saleh, 23, of Percival Terrace in Brighton, has been charged with sexual assault and remanded in custody.

Both will appear in courts to be confirmed on December 18.

Superintendent Adele Tucknott continued: “If you feel threatened or made uncomfortable by someone’s behaviour, please report it to security staff, a police officer or by dialling 999 in an emergency. The same applies if you see someone behaving suspiciously or who appears to be vulnerable.

“We would remind people of the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme, which allows anyone who feels unsafe, vulnerable or threatened to discreetly ask for help in the city’s venues. We would also encourage the public to download the Safe Space Sussex app, which highlights the location of safe spaces people can wait for a friend or taxi.”