A man has been arrested following a report of concern for a woman in Pavilion Gardens, Brighton, in the early hours of Saturday, 27 April.
A 43-year-old man from Brighton was arrested at the scene on suspicion of rape and taken to custody. He has been released on conditional bail while enquiries continue.
Police said the victim – a woman in her 40s – is being supported by specialist officers while a thorough investigation is carried out.
Detective Inspector Carrie Williams said: “A thorough investigation is underway into this distressing incident and the victim is receiving personal support from our officers.
“Officers were on the scene swiftly and a suspect was quickly taken into custody while the victim was safeguarded.
“We will continue to maintain a visible presence across the city to provide reassurance and help to keep the public safe.
“If you have any information that could help the investigation, please report online or call 101, quoting serial 159 of 27/04.
“If you or someone you know is a victim of a sexual offence, please report it to the police. We will believe you, we will support you and we will do everything we can to get you justice.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to report online or ring 101 quoting serial 159 of 27/04.
And people wonder why the pavillion wants to put up railings and gates on the gardens… The park needs shutting down at 10pm, hotspot for perverts and druggies
Agreed – thank goodness for the planning application going to committee this week. Anyone in their right minds who cares about women’s safety would support the closing of the garden from 10pm to 6am until Labour sort out the complete utter mess that the city centre is in due to their lack of control of the night time economy. The police simply do not have the resources. The argument of NIMBYs that it will spread crime to other areas does not stack up. The opportunity is only available due to the nature of the garden which most people who know the city know to avoid at night.
https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2022/01/12/womens-safety-put-at-risk-by-the-councils-weak-approach-to-crime/
Well you’ve obviously not been there in the evenings, because in warm weather it’s a lovely place to hang out with friends, and you’re out of the seafront wind.
Tonight for example, it was a very pleasant place to walk through after a meal, and to see the gardens and the Pavilion itself so beautifully lit up. I walk through these gardens several times a week, and always feel very safe there.
Sadly, it’s not the gardens which cause anti social behaviour or these rare rape cases – and these would just move elsewhere if the gardens were locked up at night.
The Pavilion Gardens actually have a surprisingly low crime rate if you check the police statistics, and that’s because most areas are well lit and covered by CCTV. There is also 24-hour security staff in the building.
You’ll see a lot more ‘street trouble’ in New Road, and parts of Valley Gardens seem to be busy with obvious drug dealing nowadays. These are areas well outside the proposed new fencing.
The true issue here is the way that rapists and other sex pests can operate within the city’s lively night time economy, and it’s difficult to protect vulnerable people who have maybe had quite a few drinks.
I agree with you Billy, there are plenty of nooks and crannies in Brighton, it is unreasonable to think they could all be closed off. Personally, I think there is something to be said for a staggered closing of the clubs of an evening:
At 1-2pm, the lights come on, only water is served, and music is restricted to relaxed and lower volume. People are allowed an hour or two to leave, think time at the bar. This would reduce the mass of people leaving at the same time and potentially conflicting with each other. It would also allow people to recover and calm down from the evening’s revelry.
The evenings are very nice most places. Night is the problem.
Usual comments from billy, agreed the police and council need to crack down on druggies and anti social behaviour wherever it is found. But get those railings up and quick. Perhaps we can hear some classical music in the evenings in the gardens. Just a thought as I hear the racket coming from Waterhall at the present!
It’s a disgrace that the fortune the council spent cleaning up Valley Gardens, planting, and getting rid of the street drinkers, was a complete waste, as its now back to being the completely disgusting hole that it previously was. Once again, no accountability.
I’m sure there are lots of people who would love to see a classical music concert in the grounds of the Pavilion, perhaps with champagne and strawberries? This could be like an open air Glyndebourne – but just watch out for the ticket prices.
We forget that the Pavilion and gardens were given to the people of Brighton and that means everybody. The gardens are used in the afternoon and evenings by people who don’t want to drink or who can’t afford to socialise in a restaurant, and closing the place up with gates changes all that. What is the point of lighting up the Pavilion at night, when the only view you get of that will be through a 7 foot fence?
We should always be pleased when we get Lottery or other funding to tidy up or to regenerate our spaces, but in this case the height of the new fence makes the Trust’s intentions clear, and that’s a step towards the commercialisation and privatisation of a public park. In the short term it’s a cost cutting exercise, in that they can reduce night time security staff, and cut down the number of times they need to empty the bins. The new toilets – the last in the city centre – will no longer be public toilets once the gates are closed.
On topic, there’s nothing about putting up a fence that actually makes the city centre a safer place.
It’s a disgrace that the fortune the council spent cleaning up Valley Gardens, planting, and getting rid of the street drinkers, was a complete waste, as its now back to being the completely disgusting hole that it previously was. Once again, no accountability.