Thugs Falsely Brand Man a Paedo Then Rob Him in Chilling Attack
Paedo Accusations Used to Intimidate Victim
Three ruthless robbers have been slammed with a combined jail term of over eight and a half years for targeting an innocent man in Chatham. Lewis O’Brien, Steven Cotter, and Cameron Oakes singled out their victim in November 2019, falsely accusing him of paedophilia before violently forcing him to hand over cash.
Inside a restaurant toilet off Chatham High Street, the trio subjected the victim to sustained verbal abuse and punches. They even filmed him on their phones while falsely accusing him of indecent behaviour, using this video to threaten him with public humiliation online.
£75 Stolen After Intimidation and Threats
The terrified victim initially surrendered £15. But when the crooks spotted his bank card, they forced him to withdraw an extra £60 from a nearby cash machine — all while publicly calling him a paedo in front of onlookers. Only then did the attackers back off.
Swift Police Action Leads to Arrests
Kent Police detectives acted fast. Reviewing CCTV from multiple locations, they identified all three offenders within two days. O’Brien and Cotter were arrested shortly after, while Oakes was nabbed by officers at London Victoria Station following a failed attempt to escape.
Harsh Sentences for Disturbing Crime
- Steven Cotter, 30, from Windmill Road, Chatham, caged for 3 years and 2 months.
- Lewis O’Brien, 29, of no fixed address, received 3 years and 2 months plus 80 days for breaching a previous suspended sentence.
- Cameron Oakes, 21, no fixed address, jailed for 2 years and 4 months.
Detective Constable Rebecca Howlett said: “These men identified a vulnerable victim and put him through a degrading, distressing ordeal. Their baseless accusations were used to humiliate and coerce him. What makes this worse is they were caught on CCTV laughing, clearly enjoying the suffering they caused. Their actions were utterly disgraceful, and I’m pleased justice has been served.”
