Love Island-Style Public Shaming: Robbers Falsely Call Man Paedophile, Steal £75
Three thugs have been locked up for over eight and a half years after falsely branding a man a paedophile and forcing him to hand over cash in a sickening robbery in Chatham.
Brutal Toilet Attack in Busy High Street Restaurant
Lewis O’Brien, Steven Cotter and Cameron Oakes targeted their victim inside a restaurant toilet in November 2019. The trio subjected him to relentless verbal abuse, physical assault, and intimidation.
They punched him, wrongly accused him of indecent behaviour, and shamelessly filmed the ordeal on a mobile phone. Then came the blackmail — threatening to post the video on social media unless they got paid.
Hounded to Cash Machine Under Public Gaze
The victim gave them £15 initially, but when the crooks spotted his bank card, their greed kicked in. They forced him to walk to a nearby ATM while shouting “paedophile” in front of shocked onlookers. Under duress, he withdrew another £60 to make them leave him alone.
Police Snare Crooks in Record Time
Kent detectives poured over CCTV footage from multiple sources. Within two days, all three suspects were ID’d. O’Brien and Cotter were quickly arrested near Chatham, while Oakes, trying to slip away, was caught later by officers at London Victoria Station.
- Steven Cotter, 30, of Windmill Road, Chatham: 3 years 2 months.
- Lewis O’Brien, 29, no fixed abode: 3 years 2 months plus 80 days for breaching a suspended sentence.
- Cameron Oakes, 21, no fixed abode: 2 years 4 months.
Investigator Condemns ‘Reprehensible’ Crime
“These men singled out a vulnerable man and subjected him to a degrading, distressing ordeal,” said Detective Constable Rebecca Howlett.
“Their baseless allegations were used to humiliate and coerce him for money.”
“Caught laughing on CCTV, it’s clear they took twisted pleasure in his suffering. Their actions were entirely reprehensible. I’m pleased justice has been served.”
