A university student convicted of rape has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following a string of heinous assaults.
Alex Patel-Wills, 26, residing on Grove Road in Barnet, committed acts of rape and sexual assault against five women, including four of his fellow students. The investigation began when a woman reported a rape incident in Brighton on October 31, 2021, leading to Patel-Wills’ prompt arrest on suspicion of rape.
Subsequent inquiries uncovered four additional victims spanning from 2018 to 2021. One woman disclosed multiple instances of rape and sexual abuse by Patel-Wills in Brighton between 2018 and 2019. Concurrently, another woman was raped by him in London while in a vulnerable state. Two more women later stepped forward, detailing incidents where they were raped by him in 2020.
In May 2020, Patel-Wills sexually assaulted a woman at a campus property and, four months later, raped another woman at his residence in Brighton. He faced charges including five counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of assault by penetration, as per a report by MyLondon.
Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, Patel-Wills was found guilty of multiple offenses against all the victims, 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.
The verdict dictates that Patel-Wills will serve 19 years in prison with an additional six years on extended licence.
Detective Constable Vicki Blythe commended the courage of the women who reported Patel-Wills’ crimes, emphasizing that each perpetrator brought to justice enhances the safety of women and girls in Sussex. Sussex Police remains dedicated to supporting victims of sexual offenses and urges victims to report incidents confidentially online, via 101, or by dialing 999 in emergencies.