Latest Offenders East Sussex

Description

A former hospital cleaner has been jailed for 14 years for raping a woman near Eastbourne Pier and carrying out a string of sex attacks at his workplace.

Mani Kurian, 50, of Eridge Road, Eastbourne, was convicted of rape, five sexual assaults and assault by beating following a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

He raped a 21-year-old woman as she walked on the upper promenade in Eastbourne in October 2014.

Sussex Police described Kurian as a "sexual predator".

'Long ordeal'

Three of the sex attacks took place at Worthing Hospital between 2013 and 2015.

He also sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman in Hampden Park, Eastbourne, in April 2015.

The assault by beating took place at Eastbourne District General Hospital in January 2015.

None of his victims were patients.

Det Insp Neil Ralph said Kurian was a "sexual predator who targeted women both in the workplace and in public".

"Today's sentence brings a successful resolution to what has been a long ordeal for the victims involved."

Kurian was sentenced to 12 years for the rape, two years to run consecutively for one sex assault charge and two years each, to run concurrently, for the other four counts.

He also received a sixth-month jail sentence for the assault by beating which is to run concurrently.

Description

A "predatory and manipulative" carer who sexually abused seven boys over an 11-year-period has been jailed for 17 years.

Benjamin Mercer, 41, abused boys as young as five years old in Hornsea, East Yorkshire, and another in Newquay, Cornwall, during the 1990s and 2000.

He was found guilty of 13 charges including rape, which he denied, following a trial at Hull Crown Court.

Police believe there may be more victims and urged them to come forward.

The court heard how Mercer, of Seafield Road, Hove, East Sussex, took sexual advantage of two boys while they slept.

He systematically raped a boy, who reported "terrible pain", up to three times a week for almost four years.

Mercer, who grew up in Hornsea, started abusing boys from the age of 15.

He was known as "cool Ben" because of his clothes and would take the boys to the park and the beach, as well as on fishing and clay pigeon shooting trips, the jury was told.

'Sleeping with a knife'

The jury heard how the carer had "groomed" one of his victims, giving him cannabis at age of 12 and then alcohol at the age of 13.

Sentencing him, Judge Tremberg told Mercer: "You have been predatory and manipulative and viewed your victims as objects, putting your needs and desires over their welfare.

"You exhibited a capacity to act with premeditation and opportunistically. You tested these young boys to see how vulnerable they were.

The judge described how one of the victims "ended up sleeping with a knife under his pillow and contemplated suicide".

"He bore the secret and shame of what you did, which has been ruinous. It caused deep-seated emotional suffering and physical harm."

'Sexual predator'

Mercer was arrested in Hornsea in 1998 but police said there was "insufficient evidence to charge him with any offences at that time".

He continued to abuse again, the court heard.

After his arrest he moved to Newquay and then to the Brighton area in 2000.

It was only after further reports of abuse that police carried out a full investigation in March last year.

Det Insp Emma Heatley, of Humberside Police, said: "He is clearly a sexual predator and we believe there may be more victims of Mercer over the last 20 years.

"We would encourage any further victims of Mercer... to come forward and call the police, so that we can ensure he is brought justice for all his offending."

Description

A DELIVERY driver has been jailed for 16 years for raping two women.

Andrew Saggers, 41, of East Albany Road, Seaford, raped a woman in her late twenties at an address near Polegate in December 2006, and a woman in her late thirties at an address in Eastbourne in May.

Police arrested Saggers after the victim reported the May 2014 attack, and traced the 2006 victim, who had not reported the attack to police, while Saggers was on remand.

Detective Constable Lisa Wells, of the East Sussex Specialist Investigation Unit, said: With her support we were able to gather evidence that enabled us to charge him with that crime too.

"Both women were very supportive of the prosecution, and gave evidence at the trial. This sentencing sends out the clear message that we will follow up all such allegations and wherever possible bring vicious offenders like this to justice, no matter how long ago their crimes occurred."

Description

Two men have been sentenced to a total of 16 years for raping a woman in Eastbourne last year.

Seedy Tambedou, 39, a doorman, of Hever Close, Eastbourne, and Omar Sanyang, 40, a care assistant, of Amherst Road, Bexhill were found guilty on Monday.

Tambedou was also found guilty of assisted rape at Lewes Crown Court.

Police said the men showed no remorse for the nasty assault, which left the victim severely traumatised.

The men raped the victim on September 28 2012 during a birthday celebration.

During a second assault by Sanyang, two witnesses tried to help the victim and stop the assault.

Tambedou was sentenced to a total of nine years for the assisted rape which will run consecutively.

Sanyang was sentenced to seven years.

Both will be put on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Constable Tod Stewart, who led the investigation, said: "This was clearly a very nasty assault leaving the victim severely traumatised and in need of specialised counselling. The events of the evening were extremely distressing for the victim but she found a huge amount of courage to come forward and report this awful crime.

"The victim and her friends and family are very pleased both Tambedou and Sanyang were found guilty and have been sentenced for substantial periods of time. She is now able to move on with her life and start to recover from the ordeal.

"Judge Hayward said there was compelling evidence against both men who showed no remorse for their actions.

"Anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault is encouraged to report it to the police. We will take the report seriously and give the victim all the support they need to make sure the offender is brought to justice."

Description

A convicted sex offender who groped a 16-year-old schoolgirl on the seafront has been warned he faces a jail sentence.

Darren Hellowell, 29, fondled the teenager on the beach next to Eastbourne Pier after asking her for a cigarette lighter.

Lewes Crown Court heard how the stranger groped the girl and then made suggestive comments to her.

Friends of the girl ordered the pervert to leave but he carried on the drunken attack.

Police nearby arrested Hellowell who told police in interview he had little memory of the assault.

In a Victim Impact Statement, the girl told officers: "When he first approached me he made me feel on edge as I didn't know him.

"When he went to touch my legs I felt scared and afterwards I felt shocked and upset by the incident."

Prosecutor Simon Allen told the court the attack happened at about 11.30pm on September 1 last year.

He said: "A 16-year-old girl was enjoying an evening out with some friends in Eastbourne. Firstly they were at the Western Lawns, at about 8.30pm.

"Later on, at about 11.30pm, they moved towards the Pier and were sat on the beach. The defendant comes over and initially says, 'Have you got a lighter?' "The victim said she had not then the defendant put his right hand on her left leg just above her knee and slid his hands up.

"She was sitting with her knees up and moved her legs, saying, 'Get off me'. She was shocked and felt scared. Her friends saw what happened and told him to clear off."

Mr Allen said Hellowell then leant forward and put his hand in the same place.

She then pushed him away but he was sexually suggestive towards her.

Mr Allen went on: "She replied, 'Don't even look at me'.

"Police must have been nearby because his arrest happened within a few minutes."

The court heard that Hellowell was put on the Sex Offenders Register for five years in 2005 for grabbing the private parts of a woman in Kent.

But he failed to notify police of his whereabouts within three days of being released from custody.

Hellowell, of no fixed abode, admitted sexual assault and failing to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

Defending, Daniel Frier offered no mitigation as Recorder Richard Benson, QC, adjourned sentencing until February 15 to assess how dangerous Hellowell is.

He told him: "I want to make it perfectly clear that all sentencing options are available.

"Because this is your second sexual offence the law requires the court to consider whether you pose a significant risk of serious harm to the public."

Hellowell was remanded in custody as funding is considered for a place at Avenida Lodge in Upper Avenue which helps people with alcohol problems.

Recorder Benson added: "Even if there is funding available it doesn't necessarily mean he would not receive some form of custodial sentence."

Description

A paedophile teacher due to be extradited to the Netherlands for importing child pornography has committed suicide.

Keith Hudson, 54, was due to fly to serve five months in a Dutch prison but did not turn up to Heathrow Airport.

Hudson, who ran private tuition company Sussex Learning Centre, had been granted bail on stringent conditions including the payment of a £10,000 security to City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.

A hearing to order the forfeiture of the money was arranged for today.

But Amelia Nice, for the Dutch authorities, told the court: "He failed to report to Heathrow. It has since been brought to our attention that apparently he has died.

"Apparently he committed suicide."

Hudson, of Willowmead, Crowborough, has previous convictions in the UK for similar offences, had signed on as a sex offender for four years and been banned from working with boys.

He was found guilty of five counts of moving and concealing indecent material at Croydon Crown Court, following an operation by Dover customs officers in 1998.

A Care Standards Tribunal had heard he was not a risk to girls and limited the court's earlier ban on teaching all children.

Education bosses at East Sussex County Council issued a warning to all schools in the area after the discovery that he was touting for business.

Then in 2002 he was found guilty of importing and stocking indecent images of boys in the Netherlands between April and December 1999.

However he was not in court for his sentence and a bid for his extradition from this country was later launched.

The disgraced tutor was arrested by Sussex and Met detectives at his home last month.

He lost his fight against his return and a Westminster judge ordered his extradition on December 27 last year.

Hudson was trusted to turn up to Heathrow on January 11 on stringent bail conditions including residence at his home address, daily reporting to police, and to have no contact with any person under 18.

On hearing the report of his death District Judge Quentin Purdy said he required confirmation from a police officer and adjourned the hearing to February 6.

The judge said if he has died the £10,000 would be returned.