A Brighton man was imprisoned for offences against six victims, including rape, sexual abuse and assault.
Shane Gibbs, 35, was convicted of 15 counts following a trial including rape and other serious sexual and violent offences and sentenced to life with a minimum term before being eligible for parole of 18 years and 299 days at Hove Crown Court.
From October to December 2023, Gibbs preyed upon children and vulnerable women in the Brighton and Hove area.
In those months, he was living a seemingly nomadic life moving between hotel rooms and various Airbnb properties on and around the seafront. He plied victims with drugs (including GHB) and alcohol to such an extent that they were incapable of preventing Gibbs raping and sexually abusing them in various places along the city’s coastline.
One woman was subjected to a prolonged assault during which she was also strangled to the point of unconsciousness.
Two of the six victims were only 15 at the time of the sexual abuse attacks.
Emma Lile of the Crown Prosecution Service said, “Gibbs was a sexual predator who went around the Brighton coastline preying on vulnerable young women in pursuit of his own hideous purposes. We would like to extend a special thanks to the victims who came forward to report these crimes and gave evidence to the court about their horrific experiences.
“These convictions send a very clear message that the CPS, working alongside law enforcement, will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who abuse or sexually exploit women.
“I encourage any victims of violence against women and girls in whatever form to report the crimes committed against them. It is never too late to seek justice – you are not alone and there is help available.”
To deal with some of the more complex and challenging child sexual abuse cases like this, the CPS has a dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit to share specialist understanding, build strong cases and increase the amount of successful prosecutions.
Detective Constable Vicki Blythe said, “Shane Gibbs subjected these women to horrific ordeals, but thanks to their strength and determination he has now faced justice.
“No jail sentence can make up for the trauma he has inflicted, but I hope these six brave victims now have the time and space to move on with their lives. These women have been at the forefront of our minds throughout this complex investigation.
“I would like to thank all involved for helping to support them and put a dangerous predator behind bars.”
Detective Superintendent Ben Newman said, “From the moment we were made aware of Gibbs’ offending, we have worked tirelessly with our partners and other forces to protect his victims and ensure he was held to account for his crimes. Complex investigations such as these rely on the collaboration of a huge number of people, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their outstanding work.
“Victims sit at the heart of all of our investigations, and as a force we have undertaken a full review of how we investigate rape and other serious sexual offences to give us the best possible chance of catching offenders, while supporting their victims.
“If you are a victim of sexual offending, please report to us in the confidence you will be heard and supported, and we will do absolutely everything we can to secure the justice you deserve.”
