A university student from North London has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, with a custodial term of 19 years, for a four-year campaign of rape and sexual assault against five women.
A Pattern of Predatory Attacks
Alex Patel-Wills, 26, of Grove Road in Barnet, was found guilty of offences against all five victims, who included four fellow students. The investigation began after a woman reported being raped in Brighton on October 31, 2021, leading to his swift arrest. As detectives delved deeper, four more victims were identified, with attacks dating back to 2018.
The court heard how one woman was repeatedly raped and sexually abused by Patel-Wills in Brighton between 2018 and 2019. Around the same period, he raped another woman in London while she was in a vulnerable state. Two further victims came forward to report being raped by him in 2020.
Crimes on Campus and in Brighton
Patel-Wills, who was a student at the University of Sussex, committed a sexual assault at a campus property in May 2020. Just four months later, in September 2020, he raped another woman at his home in Brighton.
He was initially charged with five counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration. Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, the jury returned guilty verdicts on Thursday, October 16. He was convicted of four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault by penetration. He was found not guilty of one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration.
Justice Served and a Message to Victims
The judge imposed an extended sentence, meaning Patel-Wills will serve 19 years in prison and will be on licence for a further six years upon release.
Detective Constable Vicki Blythe of Sussex Police praised the bravery of the victims. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to these brave women for reporting Alex Patel-Wills’ crimes to the police and helping us put him behind bars," she said.
"Every perpetrator brought to justice makes Sussex a safer place for women and girls, and we will continue to work hard to prevent offending, hold offenders to account and support victims."
She reaffirmed the force's commitment, stating: "Sussex Police is committed to supporting victims of sexual offending and doing all we can to secure the justice they deserve." The police urged any other victims to come forward and report incidents in confidence online, via 101, or by calling 999 in an emergency.
