Man jailed for raping Hove pensioner

A 23-year-old man has been jailed for ten years for raping a pensioner from Hove.

Daniel Hewett broke into the pensioner’s home in the early hours of Saturday 25 May.

The victim, who is in her eighties, woke up to find him standing next to her bed.

Detective Inspector Jo Sidaway, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “What followed was a sustained and terrifying sexual attack.

“Hewett subjected his victim to a degrading ordeal which, understandably, left her extremely distressed.”

After the attack, Hewett spoke to the victim about his life before falling asleep in her bed.

Daniel Hewett

She managed to raise the alarm with a neighbour and they called the police.

Officers from Sussex Police found and arrested Hewett who has since been held in prison on remand and has no home at present.

He has previously lived at various addresses in Brighton and Hove, including Egmont Road, on the Knoll estate, and Davigdor Road, also in Hove.

Hewett was jailed yesterday (Thursday 19 September) at Hove Crown Court. He was ordered to serve an extra five years on licence after he is released from prison.

He admitted raping the elderly woman at a previous hearing.

Detective Inspector Sidaway said: “Today’s sentence will finally bring some closure to the victim.

“She’s been extremely brave and dignified throughout the last four months.”

Hewett was previously jailed for five years when he was 17. He smashed a bottle outside the Tesco Express by Hove Station and hit a man in the face with it, permanently damaging his eyesight.