A Birmingham man has received a lengthy prison sentence for sexually assaulting a young girl in Brighton.

Niall O’Sullivan, aged 28, engaged in predatory behaviour by grooming a girl under 13 years old through a mobile phone application. His manipulative tactics involved sending messages to the minor, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

O’Sullivan, who previously worked as a motor mechanic, travelled from Birmingham to Brighton in his vehicle to meet the girl. The police apprehended him while he was committing the crime in a Brighton Marina car park around 2 PM on May 7.

During his trial at Lewes Crown Court on November 24, O’Sullivan confessed to seven counts of rape. He was consequently sentenced to nine years and four months in prison. Under the terms of his sentence, O’Sullivan is required to serve at least two-thirds of his term before being eligible for parole, with an additional year of license supervision following his release.

Furthermore, the court imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order on O’Sullivan, limiting his contact with children. He will also be registered as a sex offender for life.

The court heard how O’Sullivan first contacted the victim via a chat app in November 2022. Their initial meeting occurred in April, during which O’Sullivan committed six sexual assaults, frequently using his car and secluded car parks as venues.

The victim described how O’Sullivan reacted with anger when she attempted to socialize or interact with her friends. She received support from specially trained officers, and the Brighton Safeguarding Investigation Unit (SIU) led the investigation into O’Sullivan’s actions.