A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape following an alleged incident on a beach in Brighton. The arrest occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with Sussex Police launching an investigation and conducting forensic examinations at the scene. A woman in her 20s is receiving specialist support.

Officers were deployed across the pebbled beachfront, collecting evidence within a cordoned-off area between the i360 observation tower and the beach volleyball courts. The normally busy tourist location was notably quiet during the police operation. Sussex Police have appealed to the public for any information related to the case.

In a separate incident, Akiyas Jameldeen, 51, from Crawley, West Sussex, has been charged with raping a woman near Brighton’s marina on Sunday morning. This case is also under investigation.

These events come in the wake of a previous case last October when three migrants—Egyptians Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, along with Iranian national Abdulla Ahmadi, 26—were jailed for a gang rape that took place on Brighton beach.

Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of public assistance as investigations into these serious offenses proceed.