Rape renews concern over Brighton beach safety

Concerns have again been raised about the safety of Brighton beach after three men were convicted for raping a woman there.

Nicola Benge, from The Brighton Women's Liberation Collective, told BBC Radio Sussex her "heart went out" to the victim.

"It is a horrible, horrible thing to go through - then the interviews in court and legal procedures - it must have been a very difficult experience.

"She has been an incredibly brave woman and I would like to commend her for that."

But Benge continued: "Women should be able to use Brighton beach freely without any fear or harassment or violence.

"We should be able to go out and have a good time - and not worry that we are going to come home with a life-changing experience."

She said there were concerns about how public spaces in Brighton were policed, alongside whether there was good CCTV and lighting.

A judge in a separate rape trial previously said they had raised with the council a "number of times" the possibility of finding ways of better illuminating and surveilling the beach.

Abdulla Ahmadi, from Iran, and Ibrahim Alshafe, from Egypt, were found guilty at Hove Crown Court on Thursday of repeatedly raping the victim in a "cynical, predatory and callous attack" during the early hours of 4 October.

Egyptian national Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, was also convicted of rape as a secondary party for encouraging and filming her ordeal.

The three men - who are asylum seekers - were staying in a Home Office hotel near Horsham at the time of the offence.

Prosecutors have claimed Al-Danasurt was convicted of murder in Egypt before he crossed the Channel into the UK on a small boat, although his defence barrister has disputed this.

Brighton & Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey said the local authority took the safety of people using the seafront "very seriously".

She said the council was committed to expanding the coverage of lighting and CCTV as part of its development of the area.

There are currently 11 CCTV cameras along the seafront, which are monitored by police for crime prevention and detection, according to the council.

The victim, who is in her 30s, was kicked, grabbed and spat at during the rape, which happened after she was separated from her friends after a night out.

She told the jury the men were "evil" and had "ruined" her life.

Richard McDonagh, head of public protection at Sussex Police, called it an "utterly disturbing and horrific offence", but said Brighton beach was not particularly unsafe.

"Undeniably the geography down there makes it difficult to police because it is dark," he told BBC Radio Sussex.

However, McDonagh said the force was focusing on preventing cases, with night safety marshals and having officers in the "right place at the right time".

He added the force was "working really hard" to help the woman.

"This will be a long journey, but we are hoping with our support and the support of our partners we can assist the victim in recovering."

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