Pizza delivery driver jailed for sex attack in Brighton

45-year-old Mamdouh Ramzi has been jailed for a sex attack committed against a 20-year-old woman in Brighton in May, whom he abducted by convincing her he was a taxi driver.

Yesterday Ramzi was officially jailed for 12 years by Judge Shani Barnes at Brighton Crown Court. He was convicted of sexual assault and false imprisonment.

The 20-year-old victim had lost her friends after a night out in Brighton and Ramzi convinced her that he was a taxi driver so that she would get in his car. She was trying to get back home by herself with no phone after leaving The Haunt night club, in Pool Valley.

Ramzi, who works for as a pizza delivery driver, picked the woman up in Old Steine and drove her Stanmer Park in the early hours of Friday 17th May, where he carried out the rape. Ramzi has also been known under an alias, as Michael Phillips.

As the victim failed to get home, her housemates, who had driven into Brighton to find her, grew worried. At 5.20am they called 999.

Shortly after phoning the police, the victim returned home, dishevelled and upset.

Sussex police traced Ramzi from security footage. He denied picking someone up in his car, but DNA evidence linked him to the victim. Ramzi then changed his story and claimed that they had a "consensual" sexual encounter.

The former honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove, Judge Barnes, jailed Ramzi for four years for false imprisonment and two years for sexual assault.

The sentences were concurrent, with at least eight years in prison, making the total 12 years. Ramzi has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.