Some brutal murderers, a paedophile scout leader and hapless burglars were all jailed in our county during October and at the very end of September. All information on the cases comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
1. Francesco D'Agostino, Brighton
On October 21, Italian kitchen porter Francesco D'Agostino, 45, of Stafford Road in Brighton, was found guilty of killing 21-year-old Serxhio Marku in a 'brutally sustained attack'. Serxhio was found seriously injured in a flat in Stafford Road in the early hours of September 11, 2019 and was pronounced dead shortly after. He suffered multiple blunt force and incised wounds. D'Agostino was jailed for life, with a minimum sentence of 22 years. At the sentencing on October 22, Judge Christine Laing QC said: "Serxhio was murdered in a savage act, in a brutally sustained attack. The truth is easily illustrated by the victim's last words heard by neighbours - 'Why are you doing this?' - satisfying me that this was an unprovoked attack." Photo: Sussex Police
2. Aurelian Gheorghe and Andri Metea
Bungling burglars Aurelian Gheorghe, of no fixed address, and Andri Metea, of Winchester Avenue, London, were jailed for a total of four years after breaking into Hove Currys PC World and failing to steal anything. Police were alerted to a break-in at the Old Shoreham Road store at around 4am on August 2 and arrived to find a large hole at the back of the premises. Damage was also caused to stock rooms where the pair tried to gain access, but they fled the scene empty handed. An Audi was stopped on the A23 north of Brighton and Gheorghe, 41, and Metea, 22, were found to be wearing the same clothes as those seen at the break-in and had a drill, several bags, gloves and a head torch in the car. Both were sentenced to 24 months in prison at Lewes Crown Court, on October 9, for burglary with intent to steal. Photo: Sussex Police
3. Charles Ogunnowo, Brixton
Charles Ogunnowo, of Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, was jailed for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to dealing class A drugs in Brighton. Ogunnowo, 27, was stopped on October 8, 2019, after plain clothes police officers saw a suspected drug deal in Western Road. He was searched and had a significant amount of heroin and crack cocaine on him, after which more drugs and cash were found at his hotel room. He was charged with possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, possession of heroin with intent to supply and possession of criminal property and sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on October 19. Photo: Sussex Police
4. Richard Canlin, Lewes
Richard Canlin, 41, was jailed for 22 years for the 'brutal' murder of a vulnerable woman in Lewes, whose body was dumped in a wheelie bin on a Lewes recreation ground. Canlin had been living in Nicola Stevenson's Stansfield Road flat before bludgeoning her to death with a claw hammer on October 10, 2019. Nicola's body was discovered in a wheelie bin, in shrubbery, on the edge of Landport Recreation Ground on November 13. Police found Canlin at her home, having adopted Nicola's lifestyle, made the property his own and changed the lease and utility bills to his name. He told friends Nicola had gone away to Scotland. Forensic inspections revealed Nicola had been attacked in her home and, despite Canlin's attempts to hide/destroy evidence, blood was found around the property. Hove Crown Court heard Canlin tried to pin the murder on another man, who was later absolved of any involvement. He was jailed after a two-week trial. Photo: Sussex Police