Brighton Beach rape sentencing hearing prosecuted by Hanna Llewellyn-Waters KC and Natalie Bird

Hanna Llewellyn-Waters KC and Natalie Bird prosecuted the sentencing hearing of the Brighton Beach rapists at Hove Crown Court on 15 July 2026. Hanna and Natalie had prosecuted the trial earlier this year, which concluded with unanimous guilty verdicts against three defendants charged with raping a woman on Brighton Beach in the early hours of 4 October last year.

All three men were found by the Judge to be dangerous: the two men who physically carried out the rapes were both sentenced to a 21 year custodial period with a 6 year extended licence period, and the man who filmed and encouraged the rapes was sentenced to a 18 and a half year custodial period with a 6 year extended licence period.

You can read more about the sentences at:

• BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyv0vqp04pgo
• Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/asylum-seekers-given-lengthy-prison-sentences-for-rape-of-woman-on-brighton-beach-13563576
• ITV News: https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2026-07-15/three-men-who-raped-woman-on-beach-jailed
• The Times: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/asylum-seekers-brighton-beach-rape-jailed-vdsf0d50p
• Sussex Police: https://www.sussex.police.uk/news/sussex/news/court-results/three-man-jailed-for-raping-woman-on-brighton-beach/