Hove man jailed for 15 years after Brighton robberies

A man from Hove has been jailed for 15 years for two robberies in Brighton and six other offences elsewhere.

Gerard Sargeant, 55, admitted theft, assault and robbery in Brighton, Manchester and London from September to December last year.

Sergeant met a 56-year-old Brighton man online on Sunday 4 December and visited him at his home where he robbed him at knifepoint.

He stole the man’s cash cards, mobile phone, home phone and a laptop and persuaded him to reveal his PIN. Sergeant withdrew £250 cash from his victim’s bank account.

The next day Sergeant threatened an 82-year-old man and locked him in his bedroom. Sargeant had befriended him and was temporarily living with him.

He robbed the man of his bank cards and several hundred pounds in cash and pushed him over causing injuries to his nose.

He was wanted by three police forces when he was arrested in February and brought before Woolwich Crown Court in May when he pleaded guilty.

Detective Constable Jemma Paterson, from Brighton and Hove CID, said: “Sargeant is a nasty individual who targeted vulnerable men, befriending them and gaining their trust before then threatening and assaulting them and robbing them of cash, mobile phones and computers.

“I am pleased that he will be off the streets for a considerable amount of time and no longer poses a threat to any other potential victims.”

Sargeant was also convicted of a robbery in Manchester last November and one count of fraud, theft last September and a robbery in December in London.

The victims in these incidents were also people that Sargeant had befriended and either temporarily lived with or worked with.

DC Paterson said: “This was a complicated investigation due to the vulnerability of Sargeant’s victims and the fact that he was committing crimes across three police forces.

“I would like to thank my colleagues in Sussex, Manchester and London for their work in helping us get justice for Sargeant’s victims.

“I’d also like to recognise the bravery of the two Brighton victims who stayed with us throughout the investigation.

“I hope Sargeant’s long sentence will give them some form of consolation.

“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of Sargeant or has any other information relating to his crimes to please come forward.”

She said that calls could be made to Sussex Police on 101 and would be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Sergeant was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday (13 July).