Alex Patel-Wells

Alex Patel-Wells, a 26-year-old former student at the University of Sussex, was found guilty of multiple sexual offences against five women following a trial at Lewes Crown Court. The offences, which spanned from 2018 to 2021, included rapes and sexual assaults committed in Brighton and London, targeting vulnerable women including fellow students.

The investigation began on 31 October 2021 when a woman reported being raped by Patel-Wells at a property in Brighton. Sussex Police arrested him shortly afterwards on suspicion of rape. Further enquiries revealed four additional victims. One woman, then in her late teens and known to Patel-Wells, reported being raped and sexually abused on multiple occasions in Brighton between 2018 and 2019. Around the same period, another woman in her late teens was raped by him at a property in London while in a vulnerable state.

• In May 2020, Patel-Wells sexually assaulted a woman at a property on the University of Sussex campus.
• Four months later, in September 2020, he raped another woman at his home in Brighton.

Patel-Wells, of Grove Road in Barnet, was charged with five counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of assault by penetration. He was remanded in custody following the charges. At trial, a jury convicted him of four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual assault by penetration, relating to every victim. He was acquitted of one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration.

Detective Constable Vicki Blythe of Sussex Police described Patel-Wells as 'a committed sexual offender, who targeted multiple women.' She praised the victims for their 'incredible courage' in reporting the crimes, stating that their support led to his conviction and that he would now 'face a significant prison sentence.' The University of Sussex issued a statement condemning all forms of sexual violence and expressing commitment to campus safety, with thoughts for the victims-survivors.

Following the verdicts on Thursday, Patel-Wells remained remanded in custody, with sentencing scheduled for 19 December at Lewes Crown Court. The case was reported by The Argus, highlighting the predatory nature of the offences committed during his time as a student.