A 22-year-old man from Brighton has been jailed for five years after kidnapping a woman in a terrifying ordeal in Hove last summer.
Investigators traced Boxall by:
- Reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV
- Visiting over 700 addresses
- Tracing clothing bought prior to the incident
- Analyzing his mobile phone location data
Boxall initially denied the offence, then blamed “associates” during interviews — but the evidence proved overwhelming.
The Sentence: A Dangerous Man Taken Off the Streets
On 31 January 2025, Boxall pleaded guilty to:
- Kidnapping
- Theft of a vehicle
- Theft from a vehicle
- Driving without a licence or insurance
- Making off without payment
- Possession of cannabis
He received a seven-year extended sentence: five years in custody and two years on licence, per UK sentencing guidelines.
Detective Sergeant Jack Sagar said:
“Thanks to the victim’s bravery and our team’s determined work, we secured a conviction and removed a dangerous offender from our streets.”
Public Response and Safety Commitment
Superintendent Petra Lazar, of Brighton & Hove Division, praised the response:
“This case shows our absolute commitment to tackling violence against women. We will not tolerate this behaviour, and will pursue offenders with the full force of the law.”
Online, the community expressed both outrage and admiration. On X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote:
“That poor woman. Thank God she escaped. Five years isn’t nearly enough.”
Another added:
“Big respect to the passers-by who helped her. You’re heroes too.”
Appeal and Support
Sussex Police continues to encourage victims of violence or harassment to come forward. Victim Support is available to anyone affected by this or similar crimes.
To report crime:
Call 101 | Report online at sussex.police.uk
Anonymous tip-off: Crimestoppers 0800 555 111
