Sarjo Jatta

Sarjo Jatta, a 44-year-old doorman working at a city centre casino in Brighton, exploited his position to target young, vulnerable women, leading to his conviction on multiple serious sexual offences. The case came to light following a report in March 2020 by a 22-year-old woman who had accepted what appeared to be a friendly lift home from Jatta after passing the casino where he worked. Once in his vehicle, Jatta refused to let her leave, falsely imprisoning her before subjecting her to rape and sexual assault.

The investigation by the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit uncovered a previous similar incident involving Jatta. Police records revealed that he had been arrested on suspicion of raping an 18-year-old woman in September 2015, but at the time, there was insufficient evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to authorise prosecution. Detectives linked the two attacks due to striking similarities in the modus operandi, enabling them to build a stronger case and pursue charges for both incidents.

In court, Jatta was convicted of the 2015 rape and the 2020 offences of rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. He was acquitted of two other alleged incidents: four counts of sexual assault against a 19-year-old woman in December 2011 and the rape of another 18-year-old woman in August 2017. During sentencing, the judge highlighted Jatta's 'dark side', noting his pattern of gaining the trust of vulnerable women and showing no remorse or understanding of his crimes. The court imposed a 24-year extended sentence, comprising 20 years in custody followed by four years on extended licence. Jatta will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.

This case underscores the work of Sussex Police's Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit in connecting historical allegations to secure justice for victims. The convictions were based on evidence presented at trial, including victim testimonies and investigative links between the offences, as reported by the Brighton Journal.