Vigilante Trio Banged Up for Honey Trap Teen Assault
Three men from Hove have been locked up for a total of 81 months after luring a teenager into a savage attack and robbery in a derelict building. Balint Besze, 20, Theo Hallworth, 19, and Reuben Willard, 19, hatched a cruel honey trap that left their victim bruised and battered.
Fake Allegation Sparks Brutal Revenge Plot
The violent attack was sparked by a false claim made against the teen by a woman. Private messages on the victim’s Instagram showed the allegation was baseless. The woman passed the lie to Balint Besze, who teamed up with Hallworth and Willard to get payback.
Posing as vigilantes, they recruited a female friend to trick the victim. She spent a week chatting him up online before convincing him to meet at an abandoned car workshop in Newtown Road, Hove, on March 26, 2021.
Masked Attackers Brutally Rob Victim at Abandoned Site
Once inside the rundown building, the teen was jumped by the trio wearing boiler suits and masks. Armed with metal sticks, they battered him, leaving bruises on his back, shoulder, wrist, and forearm. They stole everything: phone, wallet, passport, rucksack, and even his shoes.
Despite being left shoeless and penniless, the victim managed to catch a bus to a friend’s house and alert the police.
Perpetrators Caught and Sentenced
The woman who helped lure the teen was arrested but deemed unfit to stand trial due to her mental health. Besze, Hallworth, and Willard were charged with false imprisonment and robbery. They admitted the crimes but denied using weapons — a claim disproved in court.
At Lewes Crown Court on February 15, the trio each received 27 months in a young offenders’ institution.
Investigator Rose Horan said: “These youths took it upon themselves to act as vigilantes in setting up a honey trap. The three defendants, who were of previous good character with bright futures ahead, now find themselves in prison for what is probably the biggest mistake they will ever make. The whole plot was ill conceived from the start.”
“The victim was, and remains, absolutely traumatised by this incident and has shown great patience and maturity throughout the investigation.”
