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19/03/2010
Thief Who Preyed On Gays Jailed
A man who targeted gay men in Sussex through dating websites using the name "Slick Nick" before stealing their property has been jailed for five years.
Nicholas Rowell, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one of burglary at Preston Crown Court.
The court heard that Rowell befriended a man from Etchingham, East Sussex, and visited him several times before stealing his car, cash, phone and laptop in early June 2009.
He also contacted a transvestite man from Brighton through the website gumtree.com. He met the man several times before stealing his jewellery, laptop, mobile phone, camera and debit card on 7 June.
In both cases he gained their confidence, staying overnight, and being given house keys, before disappearing and taking his hosts property with him.
He then targeted a country bed and breakfast in Horsham on 21 September. He paid to stay the night, waited for the owners to leave, and stole cash, jewellery and a grandmother clock.
Nick Antjoule, Brighton LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans-gender) Liaison Officer at Sussex Police, said: "By working together across Sussex and with other police forces we were able to identify and arrest the offender.
"Equally important is the message it sends to people contemplating such crimes. You will not get away with it."
Mr Antjoule added: "Members of the LGBT community have traditionally been a target for this type of crime by offenders who thought they were soft target."
(PR/BMcC)
Nicholas Rowell, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one of burglary at Preston Crown Court.
The court heard that Rowell befriended a man from Etchingham, East Sussex, and visited him several times before stealing his car, cash, phone and laptop in early June 2009.
He also contacted a transvestite man from Brighton through the website gumtree.com. He met the man several times before stealing his jewellery, laptop, mobile phone, camera and debit card on 7 June.
In both cases he gained their confidence, staying overnight, and being given house keys, before disappearing and taking his hosts property with him.
He then targeted a country bed and breakfast in Horsham on 21 September. He paid to stay the night, waited for the owners to leave, and stole cash, jewellery and a grandmother clock.
Nick Antjoule, Brighton LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans-gender) Liaison Officer at Sussex Police, said: "By working together across Sussex and with other police forces we were able to identify and arrest the offender.
"Equally important is the message it sends to people contemplating such crimes. You will not get away with it."
Mr Antjoule added: "Members of the LGBT community have traditionally been a target for this type of crime by offenders who thought they were soft target."
(PR/BMcC)
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