A rapist from Hove has been given a 15-year extended sentence after he targeted a lone vulnerable woman on the beach in Brighton and attacked her.
Przemslaw Pogorzzelec, 45, of Holmes Avenue, Hove, spotted the 20-year-old woman on the beach near the Fortune of War pub after she had spent a night out on the town.
Beverly Cripps, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: “This was a predatory attack on a lone vulnerable female who was enjoying a night out as a tourist.”
She had travelled to Britain from Australia for a family wedding and spent six weeks visiting family and travelling around Europe.
She was on the beach on the last night of her trip when Pogorzzelec spotted her, Miss Cripps said, adding: “He saw her alone on the beach and he raped her.
“Those six weeks were supposed to be the best time of her life (but now) the thought of returning to the country makes her physically sick.
“She went to Brighton because her family told her it was a lovely place to go and she had enjoyed a night out with new friends.”
Her father, who had only just landed back home in Australia when he was told what had happened to his daughter, spent thousands buying a ticket back to Britain straight away.
Miss Cripps said that the victim had since lost trust in men, suffered from anxiety and depression, needed sleeping tablets and had flashbacks. She was seeing a therapist and funding it herself.
Miss Cripps added: “She avoids public transport and large crowds and she doesn’t want to walk at night alone.”
Pogorzzelec had a previous conviction from 2012 for exposing himself next to a number of women – and Miss Cripps said: “He was on the beach in virtually the same area.”
And, she said, shortly before he raped the 20-year-old woman – between 2am and 2.20am on Sunday 31 July last year – he was searching online porn and hook up sites.
Pogorzzelec, who worked as a chef and in the construction industry and in a carpet cleaning business, was found guilty of rape by a jury at Chichester Crown Court at the end of a six-day trial in January.
Kevin Walls, defending, said that it was a “serious and traumatic offence” and added that Pogorzzelec had entered a guilty plea to assault by penetration.
Mr Walls said: “Mr Pogorzzelec accepted that the victim was not in a position to give informed consent because she was incapacitated.
“Mr Pogorzzelec did do something opportunistic and did do something predatory that night.
“They did exchange a kiss. It must have been clear to Mr Pogorzzelec that she was out of it through alcohol – and rather than stop, he carried on.
“That is a terrible thing to have done and one for which he is going to be punished with a lengthy custodial sentence.”
Aside from a previous conviction for exposure, he said that Pogorzzelec, a father of four, previously had a clean record in the UK and his native Poland.
The judge, Recorder Tom Nicholson-Pratt, sentenced Pogorzzelec at Lewes Crown Court on Tuesday 2 May.
He said: “(The victim) went out on an enjoyable pub crawl in Brighton during which she had a fair amount to drink. She had the misfortune to come into your view.
“You approached her and no doubt it would have been clear that she was vulnerable through drink … You groped her and you raped her.”
Brighton Beach Patrol came across, stopped Pogorzzelec and called the police, the judge said, and police bodywork footage showed that “she was in considerable distress”.
During the court case, Mitchell Wileman, from the Brighton Beach Patrol, emerged with credit for spotting what was happening and for his response.
Mr Recorder Nicholson-Pratt told Pogorzzelec: “When you were arrested, you had a blister pack of Viagra.”
It had three tablets in and one missing and the judge added: “I don’t know for sure whether you had taken Viagra that night but I suspect that you had.
“It would signal an intention to have sex with someone before you came across (the victim). What you did had a significant impact on her.”
He said that she should have been able to look back on the trip of a lifetime, with a family reunion and a wedding, but: “Her memories have all been tainted by what you did to her.
“The thought of returning to the UK makes her sick and one can understand why.”
He added that Pogorzzelec had failed to display any remorse or insight and said: “You have an attitude of sexual entitlement towards women.”
He said that Pogorzzelec was a dangerous offender and posed a significant risk of serious harm to women by committing further offences in future.
Mr Recorder Nicholson-Pratt imposed a 15-year sentence, made up of 12 years in custody and three years on licence.
He said that Pogorzzelec would have to serve at least eight years in prison before he could be considered for parole.
For the sexual assault, he was given a separate eight-year sentence to be served concurrently, making a 15-year sentence in all.
The court was told that at the end of his sentence, Pogorzzelec – a registered sex offender for life – faced the possibility of deportation back to his native Poland.
After the case, Detective Constable Ciara Richardson said: “The victim received support from our officers and showed great courage to give evidence in the trial.
“This was a fast-moving investigation where we gathered witness statements and footage which showed how Pogorzzelec had preyed on the young woman when she was alone on the beach.
“We are pleased that a dangerous offender is now in prison for these offences.”
Sussex Police said that victims of rape and serious sexual assault could find out more about how the force investigates cases by clicking here.
And more information can be found about the support that is available for victims of these offences by clicking here.
Deport him, when he gets out.
Poor lady. It’s a shame the police don’t patrol the beach more actively to warn women it just isn’t safe at night. As someone that grew up in the city I would never think to sit on the beach at 2am at night even with a man but certainly not alone but tourists and people who don’t know the area are often more relaxed about this kind of thing.