Two men have been jailed for 16 years for violently robbing prostitutes in Brighton and Hove.
In one case they kicked a woman unconscious at knifepoint before stealing cash, jewellery and her passport from her.
Sussex Police said: “Two men have been jailed after embarking on a crime spree in Brighton and Hove, threatening sex workers at knifepoint and stealing cash and high value items from their homes.
“Aaron Smith, 29, of no fixed address, and Lee Mayne, 29, of Eastcote Avenue, West Molesey, Surrey, both pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary on Wednesday 3 April this year.
“They appeared at Hove Crown Court on Friday 18 October and were sentenced to 16 years imprisonment of which they will serve a minimum of 12.
“Lynda Stevens, 33, of Eastcote Avenue, West Molesey, Surrey, admitted handling stolen goods and was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years.
“The court heard that the trio travelled down to Brighton from Surrey on Wednesday 3 April when they visited the Miller and Carter restaurant in Old London Road, Brighton, and ate and drank £159 worth of food before leaving without paying.
“Smith and Mayne then went on to visit a sex worker at a flat in Eaton Road, Hove, and demanded money at knifepoint from the woman victim.
“After putting up a struggle, she was kicked unconscious and woke up to find her handbag containing £180 cash missing, her passport, a gold necklace, an Apple iPad and other items.
“Around an hour later the pair attended an address in Lower Rock Gardens, Brighton, where one of them had made an appointment to visit a sex worker.
“Here they threatened two further victims at knifepoint and demanded money.
“Despite handing over £185 the defendants insisted on more, including mobiles phones and other valuable items.
“They threatened to kill one of the victims and punched and kicked the other to the ground before stealing two iPhones, a Macbook Pro, £1,000 cash, a passport and other items.
“Fast-time inquiries identified the vehicle involved, and tracked the car the three had travelled in, to a vehicle rental company in Surrey.
“Two days later officers from Thames Valley Police located the vehicle in Sunningdale, Berkshire, and stopped it. Smith, Mayne and Stevens were all inside and were arrested.
“A knife was found under the driver’s seat and some of the stolen property was found in Stevens’s address. The three were later charged with a series of offences.”
Detective Constable Scarlett Millar said: “The defendants in this case co-ordinated a pre-organised trip to Brighton and Hove with the intention of committing serious crime.
“They targeted vulnerable members of society, deliberately, in an effort to evade their own prosecution.
“Smith and Mayne went on to carry out violent attacks at knifepoint assaulting and robbing their victims while Stevens waited outside in the getaway vehicle.
“The sentences given to Smith and Mayne reflect the seriousness of these offences and I hope provide some justice for their victims.”
