Man pleads guilty to kidnapping woman in Hove

A man who kidnapped a woman after asking her for directions in Hove has pleaded guilty at court.

Cameron Boxall, 21, admitted a charge of kidnap as well as theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, making off without payment, and possession of cannabis following the incident on 5 August last year.

The victim, a 20-year-old local woman, was walking home from work in the early hours of the morning when she noticed a black Mini sitting at the junction of Church Road and Palmeira Avenue.

She continued onto Selbourne Road, where she saw the black Mini again. This time, the driver opened the passenger door and asked the victim for directions, which she provided.

Without warning, the driver then exited the vehicle and forced the woman into the passenger seat of the car.

She bravely fought back, ensuring her legs stayed outside of the vehicle so the car door remained open as the suspect tried to drive away.

After a short distance, the driver pushed the victim out of the car and made off from the scene.

The victim called for help from members of the public nearby, and police were called.

Officers began an immediate search for the vehicle and enquiries quickly identified it had been stolen from Brighton the previous evening, and was also used to steal petrol from a garage in Woodingdean later that same day.

The Mini was found and recovered around 5.45pm on 5 August.

He was arrested and found to be in possession of clothing matching that of the Mini driver in CCTV footage. Location data from his mobile phone also put him at close proximity of the scene at the time of the offence.

Boxall, formerly of Carden Hill, Brighton, was charged and admitted all offences when he appeared at Hove Crown Court on Friday 31 January.

He has been remanded in custody to be sentenced on 3 March.

Detective Inspector Duncan Elliott, who led the investigation from the Surrey and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, said: “This was an incredibly distressing incident for the victim, and I commend her for the immense strength and bravery she showed throughout the ordeal and during our subsequent investigation.

“With the details she was able to give us, combined with our own police intelligence and urgent house-to-house and CCTV enquiries, we swiftly identified Boxall as the suspect and brought him into custody.

“We built a strong evidential case which, when presented to the court, resulted in a guilty plea and ensured a dangerous and predatory offender has been caught.”