Three Hove Men Jailed Over Shocking Honey Trap Attack on Teen
Three men from Hove have been locked up for a combined 81 months after they lured a teenager into a brutal honey trap robbery. Balint Besze, 20, Theo Hallworth, 19, and Reuben Willard, 19, tricked their victim into a derelict building before launching a savage assault and stealing his belongings.
Fake Allegation Sparks Brutal Revenge Plot
The attack was sparked by a false allegation against the victim, made by a woman. Private Instagram messages confirmed the claim was untrue. The woman passed the baseless accusation to Balint Besze, who hatched a revenge plan with Hallworth and Willard.
The trio formed a vigilante gang. A female friend spent a week messaging the teen on social media, coaxing him to a deserted car workshop on Newtown Road, Hove, on the afternoon of 26 March 2021.
Masked Attackers Use Metal Sticks in Brutal Assault
Once inside, the masked men, dressed in boiler suits, launched a relentless attack wielding metal sticks. The victim suffered bruises to his back, shoulder, wrist, and forearm. They stole his phone, wallet, passport, rucksack — and even his shoes.
Despite being robbed and battered, the teen managed to catch a bus to a friend’s house and report the attack to police.
Justice Served: Trio Sentenced at Lewes Crown Court
Besze, Hallworth, and Willard admitted to false imprisonment and robbery but denied using weapons. Their claims fell apart during a Newton hearing.
At Lewes Crown Court on 15 February, all three were sentenced to 27 months each in a young offender institution.
Investigating officer 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 of them, 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.”
