Latest news with #CameronBoxall
News.com.au
11-05-2025
- News.com.au
Harrowing moment man snatches woman off street at random
Footage has captured the moment a young woman was forced to fight off a balaclava-clad stranger, who tried to snatch her off the street. The harrowing clip shows Cameron Boxall, 22, attempting to drag his victim off the street in the seaside suburb of Hove, near Brighton in the UK, and into a stolen car before driving off. The 20-year-old Brit screamed out 'No, no, no' repeatedly before kicking her attacker as he pulled her into the back seat of a Mini Cooper, which sped off while her legs were still hanging out of the door. She continued to try to fight off Boxall, punching him until he eventually kicked her out of the car. She was then helped by a passer-by who found her in a state of shock. 'Did not deserve what happened' Boxall has now been jailed for five years following a hearing at Hove Crown Court on Friday after he admitted to kidnapping the woman, stealing a car, and possessing cannabis, according to the BBC. He was also issued an indefinite restraining order against his victim. In a statement, Boxall's victim expressed that she felt she had 'lost her freedom,' adding: 'I struggle to understand the level of violence he used against me and I feel lucky to be alive'. 'I had bruises and scratches on my back, arms, and legs from where he threw me out of the car, and a massive lump on my head,' she added. 'What happened has changed the way I view the world. I've not done anything wrong and did not deserve what happened to me.' The attempted kidnapping The court heard that Boxall, then 21, was driving a stolen car in Hove during the early hours of August 5, 2024, and switched his number plates with those of a nearby car. He then got out of the car after selecting his victim and asked the woman, who was a local, for directions. 'He had already identified her as his intended victim. The Mini was positioned to block her route. He called out to her,' prosecutor Gareth Burrows said. 'He said: 'Excuse me, I'm a bit lost, I'm looking for Brunswick Place, can you help me?' 'His intention was to draw her close. He got out of the car, saying 'Get in the f***ing car'.' After a struggle, she was pulled into the back seat, and he drove off while repeatedly trying to close the door, striking her legs several times. 'He pushed her out of the moving vehicle and she was found on the ground in a state of shock,' the prosecutor explained. Boxall claimed in court that he intended to rob the young woman to settle a drug debt. Her handbag was discovered untouched on the footpath where the incident occurred. 'Dangerous predator' Detective Jack Sagar, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, called Boxall a 'dangerous, violent offender'. '(He is a) dangerous predator who preyed on a young woman innocently walking home, putting her through a horrific, distressing ordeal where she feared for her life,' he said. 'We commend her for the immense strength and bravery she has shown throughout the incident and during our subsequent investigation.' In 2023-24, police in England recorded 7,277 kidnapping offences. For comparison, Australia saw 501 recorded kidnapping victims in 2023.
New York Post
10-05-2025
- New York Post
20-year-old woman rescues herself after masked predator snatches her off the street
Footage has captured the moment a young woman was forced to fight off a balaclava-clad stranger, who tried to snatch her off the street. The harrowing clip shows Cameron Boxall, 22, attempting to drag his victim off the street in the seaside suburb of Hove, near Brighton in the UK, and into a stolen car before driving off. The 20-year-old Brit screamed out 'No, no, no' repeatedly before kicking her attacker as he pulled her into the back seat of a Mini Cooper, which sped off while her legs were still hanging out of the door. She continued to try to fight off Boxall, punching him until he eventually kicked her out of the car. She was then helped by a passer-by who found her in a state of shock. 4 A woman was seen on video fighting off her attacker, who tried to take her. Sussex Police 'Did not deserve what happened' Boxall has now been jailed for five years following a hearing at Hove Crown Court on Friday after he admitted to kidnapping the woman, stealing a car, and possessing marijuana, according to the BBC. He was also issued an indefinite restraining order against his victim. In a statement, Boxall's victim expressed that she felt she had 'lost her freedom,' adding: 'I struggle to understand the level of violence he used against me and I feel lucky to be alive'. 'I had bruises and scratches on my back, arms, and legs from where he threw me out of the car, and a massive lump on my head,' she added. 4 Cameron Boxall, 22, attempted to drag his victim off the street in the seaside suburb of Hove in the UK. Sussex Police 'What happened has changed the way I view the world. I've not done anything wrong and did not deserve what happened to me.' The attempted kidnapping The court heard that Boxall, then 21, was driving a stolen car in Hove during the early hours of August 5, 2024, and switched his number plates with those of a nearby car. He then got out of the car after selecting his victim and asked the woman, who was a local, for directions. 'He had already identified her as his intended victim. The Mini was positioned to block her route. He called out to her,' prosecutor Gareth Burrows said. 'He said: 'Excuse me, I'm a bit lost, I'm looking for Brunswick Place, can you help me?' 4 Boxall pulled her into the back seat, speeding off while her legs were still hanging out of the door. Sussex Police 'His intention was to draw her close. He got out of the car, saying 'Get in the f***ing car'.' After a struggle, she was pulled into the back seat, and he drove off while repeatedly trying to close the door, striking her legs several times. 'He pushed her out of the moving vehicle and she was found on the ground in a state of shock,' the prosecutor explained. Boxall claimed in court that he intended to rob the young woman to settle a drug debt. Her handbag was discovered untouched on the footpath where the incident occurred. 4 Boxall claimed in court that he was trying to rob the woman to settle a drug debt. Sussex Police 'Dangerous predator' Detective Jack Sagar, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, called Boxall a 'dangerous, violent offender'. '(He is a) dangerous predator who preyed on a young woman innocently walking home, putting her through a horrific, distressing ordeal where she feared for her life,' he said. 'We commend her for the immense strength and bravery she has shown throughout the incident and during our subsequent investigation.' In 2023-24, police in England recorded 7,277 kidnapping offenses. For comparison, Australia saw 501 recorded kidnapping victims in 2023.
ITV News
10-05-2025
- ITV News
'Dangerous predator' who snatched Hove woman walking home jailed
This video of the kidnap contains distressing images. A man who kidnapped a woman after asking her for directions in Hove has been jailed for five years. Cameron Boxall, 22, put the victim through a terrifying ordeal after he forced her into a car he had stolen earlier and attempted to drive off. The victim, a 20-year-old local woman, was walking home from work in the early hours of the morning on 5 August 2024. Boxall dragged the woman into a black Mini on Selbourne Road after asking her for directions. She bravely fought back, ensuring her legs stayed outside of the vehicle so the car door remained open as the suspect tried to drive away. After a short distance, the driver pushed the victim out of the car and made off from the scene. Boxall, formerly of Carden Hill, Brighton, was charged and admitted a charge of kidnap, theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, making off without payment, and possession of cannabis when he appeared at Hove Crown Court on Friday 31 January. He was remanded in custody and appeared for sentencing on Friday 9 May. Detective Sergeant Jack Sagar said: "Boxall is a dangerous predator who preyed on a young woman innocently walking home, putting her through a horrific distressing ordeal where she feared for her life. "We commend her for the immense strength and bravery she has shown throughout the incident and during our subsequent investigation. "
The Independent
09-05-2025
- The Independent
Shocking moment masked man randomly snatches woman off street on her walk home
A young woman fought back as a balaclava-clad man forced her into a stolen car and attempted to drive off in Hove. Cameron Boxall, 22, formerly of Carden Hill, Brighton, kidnapped the 20-year-old who had been walking home from work on 5 August 2024. He asked her for directions before forcing her into the vehicle. She fought back and ensured her legs stayed outside of the car so the car door remained open. The driver pushed her out of the car and fled. Boxall admitted a charge of kidnap, theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, making off without payment, and possession of cannabis. He was sentenced to five years in jail with a further two years to be spent on licence, and was issued with an indefinite restraining order against his victim.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Harrowing moment balaclava-clad thug randomly snatches woman off street
WARNING DISTRESSING FOOTAGE Brighton Crown Court was shown the moment a woman, 20, was grabbed in Brighton by Cameron Boxall, 20, who admitted kidnapping and was jailed Harrowing footage has shown the moment a woman screamed for her life as she desperately fought a balaclava-clad stranger who dragged her into a waiting car in a sickening kidnap plot. Brighton Crown Court heard how Cameron Boxall, 22, grabbed the young victim and pulled her towards a stolen Mini Cooper, which he had switched the number plates on, as she punched and kicked him. He had earlier parked the car near a street corner where he knew the woman, 20, would have to walk. When she got near enough, he pretended to ask for directions before grabbing her, with nearby doorbell footage capturing her harrowing screams of 'no'. Boxall managed to get her inside the car, driving off as she was hanging out the passenger door. The victim bravely fought against Boxall, punching at him until he kicked her out of the car where a passerby was able to jump to her aid. Boxall admitted a charge of kidnap, theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, making off without payment, and possession of cannabis. Boxall had prepared for the attempted kidnap, buying Marigold gloves from a corner shop and had been seen wearing a balaclava as he drove around Hove in the early hours of August 5 last year. But footage from his police interviews shows he initially denied any wrongdoing. Now, his victim has bravely allowed the full video showing her horrifying ordeal to be published. In her victim impact statement, the young woman said she felt lucky to be alive. She said: 'What happened is still raw to me. I had to fight really hard against him. I had bruises and scratches on my back, arms and legs from where he threw me out of the car and a massive lump on my head. "What happened has changed the way I view the world. I always thought Brighton was a safe place to live. I won't go out on my own any more, I feel I've lost my freedom. "I understand it's a one in a million chance it will happen again but even going out in the day I'm anxious. I've not done anything wrong and did not deserve what happened to me. I struggle to understand the level of violence he used against me and I feel lucky to be alive." Her mother said the emotional trauma had profoundly disrupted the family. She told police: 'The emotional aftermath has not been easy to overcome. It has forever altered our lives in ways which go beyond the immediate harm." Gareth Burrows for the Crown prosecution said: "He had already identified her as his intended victim. The Mini was positioned to block her route. He called out to her. "He said, 'Excuse me, I'm a bit lost, I'm looking for Brunswick Place, can you help me?' His intention was to draw her close. He got out of the car, saying 'Get in the f***ing car'. In the ensuing struggle, her bra broke." Her head was pulled into the footwell of the Mini Cooper, Mr Burrows said. Despite her desperate attempts to fight, the victim was dragged into the car and Boxall drove off with the door still open. The court heard Boxall was driving around Hove in the early hours of August 5 wearing a balaclava after stealing the Mini Cooper and switching the numberplate. Mr Burrows said: "The complainant saw the black Mini he was driving and noticed he was wearing a face covering. She said it seemed insignificant at the time." He bought the Marigold gloves at a corner shop and was filmed by a CCTV camera putting them in his pocket. Boxall's mum, sister and partner were in court to hear the screams of his victim. Video played in court showed Boxall reversing into a parking space on a corner where he knows the woman he has identified as his victim will have to walk past. Boxall tried to claim he wanted to rob the young woman to pay a drugs debt, the court heard. Her handbag was found untouched on the pavement where she was snatched. Mr Burrows continued to outline the details of the harrowing attack, saying: "As he was driving away, he repeatedly attempted to close the door, causing her legs to be struck a number of times. she was punching him in every manner she could and this likely thwarted his objective. He pushed her out of the moving vehicle and she was found on the ground in a state of shock." Recorder Lucy Beaumont told Boxall: "The seriousness and impact of your offending cannot be understated. The CCTV is hard to watch, imagining what was going through the victim's mind at the time." Detective Sergeant Jack Sagar, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: 'Boxall is a dangerous predator who preyed on a young woman innocently walking home putting her through a horrific distressing ordeal, where she feared for her life. We commend her for the immense strength and bravery she has shown throughout the incident and during our subsequent investigation. "With the details she was able to provide, combined with our fast paced and intensive enquiries, we swiftly identified Boxall as the suspect and brought him into custody. We built a strong evidential case which, when presented to the court, resulted in a guilty plea ensuring this dangerous violent offender has been caught and taken off the streets.' Superintendent Petra Lazar, of Brighton and Hove Division, said: 'Everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe in a public place. We are fully committed to ensuring that is the case and work incredibly closely with partners to ensure a range of measures are in place to address vulnerability, tackle crime and provide reassurance. "Violence against women and girls will absolutely not be tolerated. An incident such as this is appalling, and every effort will be made to bring offenders to justice and safeguard victims.' Boxall was jailed for five years with a two year extended sentence under new guidelines issued on April 1 this year. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence in prison before he is eligible to apply for parole.
