Six men have been charged with rape or sexual assault on or near Brighton beach after a series of painstaking police investigations.
Five of the men are being held in custody and one was given bail by a court as all six defendants await trial by jury or other court hearings.
The offences were all alleged to have been committed in September and Sussex Police published a number of security camera pictures as the force issued appeals for help to trace the men.
Today (Wednesday 15 November) Sussex Police said “We can now confirm we have charged and / or remanded six men in relation to these investigations – all of the suspects we were trying to locate.
“All six of these victims, women whose bravery in reporting has allowed us to bring these suspects into custody, have been supported by specialist officers and our partners.
“This will continue every step of the way as we move through the judicial process.”
Superintendent Adele Tucknott, the Sussex Police 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.”
Sussex Police said that the complaints in relation to the six women were the subject of four separate police operations – Op Lindwood, Op Carpenter, Op Embassy and Op France.
Each operation has led to at least one suspect being identified, arrested and charged.
Operation Lindwood
On Wednesday 6 September, police received a report that a young woman had been raped on the beach near the Palace Pier shortly after midnight.
On Friday 8 September, officers were called to London Road in the early hours after a report that a woman in her twenties 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 Monday 4 March 2024.
Operation Carpenter
On Sunday 10 September, police were called to the beach near the King’s Road Arches at around 5.35am by a member of the public concerned for the welfare of a woman in her thirties.
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 Monday 26 February 2024.
Operation Embassy
In the early hours of Saturday 16 September, police received a report that a woman in her twenties had been raped on the beach.
Following inquiries, 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 Sunday 24 September, a woman reported being raped on the seafront near the Palace Pier, and another sexually assaulted near by.
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 Monday 18 December.
Superintendent Tucknott added: “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.”
Great work by the police and also all women owe a huge debt to these women for being brave enough for speaking out. A bit shocking though that there are so many rapes taking place in Brighton.
I am more than a little shocked and surprised by the number of these. I am pleased to see Sussex Police apprehended them, and echo the sentiments above about victims speaking out. I just hope that the justice system deals with the accused effectively.
How is this not the main article?
The names of those charged:
Ahmed Lahmatar
Ali Reza Mozaffari
Isaac Cid-Lopez
Altaib Hamed
Bader Saleh
Exactly what I thought.
Why are we welcoming these people to our countries with open arms and then they commit these heinous crimes which allow them to be sent to prison where they are provided free rooms, food and clothing at huge expense to the taxpayer
Might want to double-check that before you play the racism card based purely on someone’s name.
I’m in the process of setting up a Safe Space with Sussex Police myself at the moment. It’s a good idea, and I’d encourage anyone who has a community space to sign up for it. No cost, and gives us the ability to look out for one another.
Thank you to all the male comments and concerns. I find it highly disturbing that so many sexual attacks on women are taking place in public places so frequently and the advice for any women who may feel terrified over this news, need to download an app learn how to use it and keep it handy whilst on a casual night out which should feel safe and fun but instead feels like a fucking horror film that you’re actually living in. Has everyone lost their minds, what is being done to protect our women? Actions to reduce risk and please don’t rattle on about apps and useless marketing campaigns. Stop blaming and hurting our women and take action to help make Brighton a safe place for all to enjoy day or night.
Thank you to all the male comments and concerns. I find it highly disturbing that so many sexual attacks on women are taking place in public places so frequently and the advice for any women who may feel terrified over this news, need to download an app learn how to use it and keep it handy whilst on a casual night out which should feel safe and fun but instead feels like a horror film that you’re actually living in. Has everyone lost their minds, what is being done to protect our women? Actions to reduce risk and please don’t rattle on about apps and useless marketing campaigns. Stop blaming and hurting our women and take action to help make Brighton a safe place for all to enjoy day or night.