Man Re-Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for 2018 Brighton Murder
Sergio Lemori was re-sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years after being convicted again of murdering Andrew O’Connell in Brighton. © Sussex Police
A man who brutally attacked another man in Brighton in 2018 has been convicted of murder again and re-sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sergio Lemori repeatedly dropped a stone slab onto the head of Andrew O’Connell, who was unknown to him, while Andrew was sleeping in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Gardens.
The attack happened at about 11.56pm on 7 August 2018. Andrew was discovered at about 7.10am the following morning and was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where he died from his injuries two days later, aged 54.
Sussex Police reported that Lemori was originally sentenced to life imprisonment following the unprovoked attack.
After serving more than six years of his sentence, Lemori successfully appealed against his conviction on the basis of diminished responsibility. The case then went to a retrial at Hove Crown Court.
The retrial began on Monday 27 July 2026. On Thursday 6 August, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict, finding Lemori guilty of murder again.
Brighton and Hove News reported that the retrial heard evidence about Lemori’s mental health and his claim that he believed he was attacking a crocodile.
Andrew O’Connell died from his injuries two days after the 2018 attack in Brighton. © Sussex Police
The original conviction and appeal
Lemori originally pleaded guilty to Andrew O’Connell’s murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2019.
After more than six years in prison, concerns about Lemori’s mental health led to his case being considered by the Court of Appeal. His original conviction was quashed and a retrial was ordered.
Brighton and Hove News reported that the retrial heard evidence about Lemori’s background and mental health. The court heard that he had a personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The report also said the jury heard that Lemori had claimed he believed he was attacking a crocodile. Judge Jeremy Gold remained sceptical of that explanation when sentencing him.
What happened in 2018
Sussex Police said the attack was completely unprovoked and described Andrew as a vulnerable and defenceless man who was unknown to Lemori.
Andrew was sleeping in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Gardens after having been given prior permission to sleep there.
Brighton and Hove News reported that CCTV showed Lemori approaching Andrew while he was asleep. The court heard that Lemori had taken a large stone slab to the scene and dropped it onto Andrew’s head repeatedly.
The report said Lemori checked that he was not being watched before retrieving the slab and attacking Andrew again, with the fourth blow delivered with greater force.
He was arrested in the grounds of St Nicholas Church in Brighton less than 24 hours after the attack. Brighton and Hove News reported that he subsequently pleaded guilty to murder in October 2018 and was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2019.
Retrial and second life sentence
The retrial took place at Hove Crown Court, with proceedings beginning on Monday 27 July 2026.
On Thursday 6 August, the jury unanimously found Lemori guilty of murder for a second time.
Lemori was remanded in custody following the verdict and returned to Hove Crown Court on Tuesday 11 August 2026.
Sussex Police confirmed that he was re-sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years.
Brighton and Hove News reported that the court was told Lemori had already served eight years and one day since his arrest in August 2018.
Andrew O’Connell remembered
Andrew lived in Chatham, Kent, and was known to voluntarily sleep outdoors on occasions.
Andrew’s family released a tribute following the new guilty verdict, saying that although the verdict could not undo their loss, it reaffirmed that Andrew deserved justice and should not be forgotten.
The family described the years since Andrew’s death as long and painful and said they had remained united in their determination to ensure that Andrew was not forgotten.
Sussex Police reported that Detective Inspector Debbie Birch, of the Major Crime Team, praised Andrew’s family for the strength and courage they had shown while going through court proceedings for a second time.
Detective Inspector Birch described the attack as completely unprovoked and said Andrew was a vulnerable and defenceless man who was unknown to Lemori and was sleeping in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Gardens that night.
Footage from the case
Read the original Sussex Police report →