Brighton rapist jailed for 13 years after knife attack in city centre

Philip Smith, 29, raped a woman at knifepoint in Bartholomew Square, Brighton, in the early hours of 9 August 2025. He was convicted of two counts of rape and sentenced at Hove Crown Court.

Brighton man sentenced for knifepoint rape in city centre

Philip Smith, 29, of no fixed address, has been jailed for 13 years after being convicted of two counts of rape following an attack in Brighton city centre, the Daily Express reports.

Smith approached a woman in her 30s in Bartholomew Square at around 3.30am on 9 August 2025, threatened her with a knife, and raped her. The victim managed to contact a friend during the assault, and the friend's intervention prompted Smith to flee the scene.

Officers stopped Smith shortly afterwards and found him in possession of two knives in an alley near the seafront. He was also carrying class A drugs, according to Sussex Police.

Following his arrest, Smith exposed himself to two women inside Brighton Custody Centre and was remanded in custody. He was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent exposure, possession of a class A drug, and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

The court heard that Smith had already been on bail at the time of the attack, awaiting sentencing for a separate sexual assault on a woman in Brighton on 5 August 2025.

Smith was convicted after trial and sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Harbour of Sussex Police said: "This was a horrific ordeal for the victim in the centre of Brighton. She was able to send a message to a friend in order to get help, and the friend's actions and swift arrest ensured that Smith has been brought to justice."

Harbour added that tackling violence against women and girls remains a priority for the force. "This case demonstrates our determination to catch dangerous offenders, and we are pleased that Smith is now serving a significant custodial sentence," he said.

Source: Daily Express