A man has been found guilty of raping a woman in a Brighton park after members of the public raised the alarm when they saw her in distress.
Alieu George, 45, of no fixed address, was convicted of rape and sexual assault by penetration following a trial at Brighton Crown Court. He denied the charges but was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday, 17 December.
The court heard that at around 9.05am on Sunday, 22 June, three members of the public noticed a man and woman together in the Dorset Gardens area of Brighton. The woman appeared visibly distressed, and moments later witnesses saw the pair on the ground with George lying on top of her.
Concerned by what they were witnessing, the three bystanders immediately called police.
Officers arrived within minutes and found the 34-year-old victim distraught, with George lying nearby. He told officers the woman was his girlfriend, a claim later disputed.
The victim told police she had been out for drinks after work when George approached her and deliberately separated her from a group of people she was with. He then repeatedly attempted to sexually assault her while leading her towards Dorset Gardens, where he raped her.
George was arrested at the scene on suspicion of rape and later charged the same day.
Following the guilty verdicts, George was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on 10 March 2026.
Detective Constable Daisy Alden, who led the investigation, praised both the victim and the witnesses.
She said: “I would like to pay tribute to the victim in this investigation for her courage and determination. I would also like to thank the three members of the public for their civic duty in calling 999, which resulted in officers arriving and arresting the suspect within minutes.
“They also gave evidence at court, and their testimonies were highly impactful.
“Alieu George preyed on the victim and presents a clear danger to women. The streets of Brighton and Sussex are safer now that he will remain behind bars.
“We are committed to ending male violence against women. We take reports of sexual offences extremely seriously and urge anyone who has been a victim to report it online, call 101, or dial 999 in an emergency.”
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