Ashley Lewis, formerly of Albemartle Road, was 35-years-old when he raped a 17-year-old girl at the Pavilion Gardens in Brighton whilst she was too drunk to stand.
Lewis travelled down to Brighton in June 2021 to spend an afternoon secretly filming women on Brighton beach before meeting the girl.
He then went on to rape a 17-year-old girl alongside Dylan Holden, an 18-year-old he had never met before.
Lewis recently renewed an application at the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence.
His application had previously been rejected by a single judge, but this time a panel three appeal judges rejected the application.
Justice May said: “The sentence was severe but this was very serious offending.”
Ashley Lewis and Dylan Holden (Image: Sussex Police) Lewis must therefore continue to serve his 16 and a half year sentence.
During the trial the court heard that Lewis and Holden were caught on CCTV leading the drunk victim into the area where she was raped.
CCTV footage also captured Lewis stealing items from the victim’s bag that were later found in his home.
Lewis was convicted of rape, sexual assault, and theft.
Holden was sentenced to six years in prison for rape and two counts of sexual assault.
The victim said the experience left her suffering nightmares and hallucinations as a result of the attack.
The victim also said that the ordeal made her “terrified” of going outside and of other people.
The victim said: “Whenever I left my house. I couldn’t get away from it and, sometimes, I still can’t.
“Getting the verdict was like a breath of fresh air, a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. But it still lingers.
“It’s still there, in the back of my mind, like a dark cloud in the distance it won’t go away. I can’t get it to go away.”