A 21-year-old man, Kenzie Sotgiu, has been charged after assaulting two police officers during a disturbance on a bus in East Grinstead on Wednesday 17 June. Sussex Police were called at around midday to deal with the volatile situation which escalated on the bus, leading to the physical assault of the officers as they performed their official duties.
Multiple Charges Filed
Sotgiu, who has no fixed address, faces charges including two counts of assaulting an emergency worker under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a Class B controlled drug, cannabis. These charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Court Appearance And Bail
The defendant appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 18 June where he was granted conditional bail. He is due back at the same court for a further hearing in November 2026.
Police Response
“Our officers work hard to keep people safe and should be able to carry out their duties without being subjected to violence or abuse,” said Sergeant Tom Webb from the Crawley Response Team. “Reports of assaults against emergency workers are taken extremely seriously and will always be thoroughly investigated.”
Legal Consequences
Assaulting an emergency worker carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fines under UK law. The possession of a bladed article and controlled drugs are expected to be an aggravating factors in sentencing.
Investigation Updates
Sussex Police confirmed no members of the public were injured during the incident and are not seeking further suspects in connection with the case. The investigation continues to be handled by the local policing team.
