A former University of Sussex student has been found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults against five women – including four fellow students – following a major investigation by Sussex Police.
Alex Patel-Wells, 26, of Grove Road, Barnet, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday (16 October) after a jury found him guilty of a series of sexual offences carried out between 2018 and 2021.
Police launched an investigation after a woman reported being raped by Patel-Wells at a property in Brighton on 31 October 2021. He was arrested shortly after and taken into custody.
Further enquiries uncovered four more victims, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behaviour that stretched back several years.
Attacks spanned Brighton and London
One victim, then in her late teens, reported being raped and sexually abused on multiple occasions by Patel-Wells in Brighton between 2018 and 2019.
Around the same period, another woman was raped at a property in London while in a vulnerable state.
Two more women were attacked in 2020 — one was sexually assaulted at a property on the University of Sussex campus in May, and another was raped at Patel-Wells’ home in Brighton four months later.
Convictions and sentencing
Patel-Wells was charged with five counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of assault by penetration. The jury found him guilty of offences relating to every victim, including four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual assault by penetration.
He was acquitted of one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration.
Patel-Wells has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on 19 December.
‘A committed sexual offender’
Detective Constable Vicki Blythe, who led the investigation, praised the courage of the victims.
“Patel-Wells is a committed sexual offender, who targeted multiple women,” she said.
“Each of these brave women has shown incredible courage to report and support this investigation. Thanks to their help, a predatory offender has been convicted and will now face a significant prison sentence.”
DC Blythe added:
“Sussex Police is committed to supporting victims of sexual offending and doing all we can to secure the justice they deserve. If you are a victim of sexual offending, please report to us in confidence online, via 101 or by calling 999 in an emergency.”
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