Three men who raped a woman on Brighton beach in an attack that was partially witnessed by bystanders who failed to intervene have been jailed for a combined 42 years, in a case that prompted a national conversation about public safety and the responsibility of witnesses to violent crime.
The attack took place in the early hours of a summer morning on a section of the beach that was still busy with people. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was subjected to a sustained assault while bystanders, according to evidence presented at trial, were aware that something was wrong but did not call the police or intervene directly.
The trial judge, in sentencing, described the attack as "predatory and dehumanising" and said the failure of bystanders to act was "a stain on the community." He commended the victim for her courage in giving evidence and said the sentences should serve as a warning that sexual violence would be met with the full force of the law.
The case led to calls for a public information campaign on bystander intervention, similar to campaigns in other countries that teach people how to safely intervene when they witness harassment or violence. Several police forces have since introduced training programmes based on the bystander intervention model, and the government has said it is considering a national campaign.
The victim, in a statement read after sentencing, said she hoped the case would encourage witnesses to act rather than look away. "If one person had called the police, it might have stopped sooner," she said. "Please, if you see something, do something."
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