Prolific Crawley Shoplifter Jailed After Multiple Offences
A prolific shoplifter who repeatedly targeted stores across Crawley has been sentenced to prison after breaching multiple behavioural orders.
Damien O’Hare, 48, of no fixed address, was charged with 26 counts of shoplifting, 22 counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), and one count of using insulting or threatening language. The offences were committed between March and June 2024, with O’Hare predominantly targeting the Co-op in Dorsten Square, Bewbush, along with several other local stores.
O’Hare would brazenly enter the stores, take goods from the shelves, and leave without paying, often in full view of staff. On multiple occasions, when confronted, he threatened to violently assault a female staff member.
His audacity extended to targeting some stores multiple times on the same day. Each theft from the Co-op was a clear violation of an existing Criminal Behaviour Order that banned him from entering any Co-op store in Sussex.
O’Hare pleaded guilty to all charges at ..
Portslade Resident Jailed for Violence at Brighton Protest
Brighton man has been sentenced to prison after assaulting a member of the public and a police officer during a demonstration in the city.
Ian Ward, 53, of Old Mill Close, Portslade, was part of a large crowd gathered on Queens Road on Wednesday, August 7th. The crowd was separated from a smaller group by a line of police officers when Ward forced his way through the line, striking a member of the smaller group and assaulting a female police officer in the process.
Following the incident, video footage was reviewed, leading to Ward being identified as the suspect. He was arrested on Sunday, August 11th, and subsequently charged with affray, assault, and assaulting a police officer.
Ward pleaded guilty to all charges at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, August 12th. The following day, at Lewes Crown Court, he was sentenced to eight months in prison, with an additional eight months to be spent on licence.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said: “This is a significant custodial se..
Two Men Jailed for Arson and Criminal Damage Across East Sussex
Two men have been sentenced after a series of arson and criminal damage offenses that terrorised communities across East Sussex.
Michael Rodgers, 36, of Battle Road, St Leonards, and Kiarash Majidi, 37, of Grand Parade, St Leonards, were sentenced in July and August following their involvement in a shocking crime spree that spanned several towns, including Eastbourne, Hastings, and Rye.
The spree began on the evening of August 8, 2023, when Rodgers and Majidi targeted a property on Castle Hill Road, Hastings, smashing its windows before moving on to another location. Over the next few hours, they continued their destructive actions, shattering windows at a property on Priory Road in Hastings.
Less than a week later, on August 14, the pair escalated their attacks, causing damage to properties and vehicles across Hastings. Their crimes included smashing windows on Chiltern Drive and setting a car on fire on Linton Road. They also damaged properties on Lower Park Road and continued the..
Six Men Sentenced in Major Cocaine Distribution Network Between Sussex and London
An extensive investigation by Sussex Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has led to the conviction of six men involved in a large-scale cocaine distribution operation between London and the Sussex coast.
The investigation, which spanned several months, culminated in the seizure of approximately 850 grams of cocaine and over £32,000 in cash. The drugs were being trafficked from London to Worthing, with the operation allegedly distributing up to four kilograms of cocaine worth between £313,600 and £392,000 on the streets.
The operation was orchestrated by a network of criminals, each playing a distinct role in the supply chain. Courier Naim Shala, 45, of Vale Close, Newport, was identified as a key figure, making regular trips from Wembley to Worthing in his Mazda between June and October 2022. He delivered the Class A drugs to an address on Pavilion Road, Worthing, where 31-year-old Kristian Buqa took possession and prepared the drugs for street-level distribution.
Buqa then..
Ex-Social Worker Pleads Guilty to Sexual Misconduct
A former social worker from West Sussex has been convicted of abusing his position to engage in sexual communications with vulnerable children. Thomas Weller, 33, from Horsham, was identified after an investigation was launched on 3 March when explicit messages were discovered on a vulnerable teenage girl’s Snapchat account. The messages, sent by Weller, were sexual in nature and persisted even after the girl disclosed she was a child. Weller also offered to buy her alcohol in exchange for sexual acts.
The investigation revealed Weller had misused his position to access personal data. He was arrested on 24 March, and further sexual communications with another teenage girl were found on his Snapchat account. Weller was subsequently charged with two counts of sexual communication with a child and misconduct in public office.
On 5 July, Weller pleaded guilty to both counts of sexual communication at Lewes Crown Court, and on 31 July, he admitted to the misconduct in public office. He ha..
Brighton Man Jailed for Brutal Nightclub Assaults on Women
Photo – Sussex Police
A Brighton man has been sentenced after he brutally stamped on the head of a woman and sexually assaulted another in West Street.
Halcyon Platt, 21, of Ditchling Rise, Brighton, was sentenced on July 12, following incidents that occurred in the early morning of October 1, 2023. Platt was in a nightclub on West Street when he made unwanted advances towards a 20-year-old woman.
After being challenged on his behavior, Platt sexually assaulted the woman and grabbed her by the throat. The victim immediately called the police to report the crime. While she was on the phone, Platt became enraged with a second woman who attempted to assist a man nearby. He pushed the 23-year-old woman away, assaulted her, and threw her to the ground. Platt then callously stamped on her head multiple times, causing significant facial injuries.
Police quickly arrested Platt at the scene and took him into custody before he was bailed with strict conditions. He was charged on Marc..
Southwick Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Brutal Rape and Assault
A Southwick man has been handed a 24-year sentence for repeatedly raping and assaulting a woman over several years. Shaun Clarke, 53, was convicted of multiple crimes after police were called to a property in Southwick on 18 October 2023.
Police responded to reports of Clarke attempting to gain entry to the property, demanding money, and making violent threats. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a woman who revealed a history of physical and sexual violence inflicted by Clarke. The victim, a woman in her 40s, disclosed that Clarke sought to control her actions, isolate her from her friends, and would rape and assault her when he disapproved of her behavior. Disturbingly, some of this violence was witnessed by the victim’s young children.
Clarke, residing at Whiterock Place, Southwick, also demanded money from the victim, culminating in the violent incident on 18 October. When Clarke was arrested later that day, he assaulted a female police officer, injuring her hand.
He was subsequen..
Southwick Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Rape and Assault
A Southwick man who repeatedly raped and assaulted a woman has been given a 24-year sentence. On 18 October, 2023, police were called to a property in Southwick to reports of Shaun Clarke trying to gain entry, demanding money and making violent threats. Some of the violence was witnessed by the victim’s young children. Clarke, […]
Three Convicted in Violent Seaford Home Burglary
In a disturbing incident on January 7, two men and a 15-year-old were convicted of a violent burglary at a residence in Coxwell Close, Seaford. The convicted individuals are Remy Cadoret, 20, from Mayola Road, Hackney; Romeo Dankwa, 20, from Walford Road, Hackney; and a minor from Bromley, whose identity is withheld due to legal […]
Crawley Drug Distributor Jailed for Over Three Years
In a significant development in the fight against drug distribution in Crawley, Omar Shackleton has been sentenced to three years and one month in prison for his involvement in the ‘JJ’ County Drug Line. Shackleton, 31, was found guilty of running Class A substances in the town.
Following extensive police enquiries, a warrant was executed at Shackleton’s home in Halstead Place, Halstead, Kent, on 8 March. During the search, officers discovered approximately £5,035 in cash, drug paraphernalia, numerous mobile phones, and a lump of brown substance which was later confirmed to be 40g of heroin mixed with Xzylazine and other cutting agents, valued at £4,000 on the street. An extendable baton, classified as an offensive weapon, was also seized.
Shackleton was charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession of criminal property, and possession of an offensive weapon. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was remanded in custody. On 2 July, he appeared before Lewes Cr..
Brighton Drug Dealer Caught with 90 Wraps of Crack Cocaine and Heroin
A Brighton drug dealer has been sentenced to over three years in prison after admitting to multiple drug and weapons offences.
Shy Ponsonby-Way, 19, was observed dealing drugs in central Brighton earlier this year. Officers from the Specialist Enforcement Unit (SEU) arrested him during patrols aimed at disrupting the supply of drugs. Ponsonby-Way was supplying class A drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin, and was found with 90 wraps concealed in his groin.
Following an investigation by the Brighton Community Investigation Team, he was charged and appeared at Lewes Crown Court on June 21. He received a sentence of three years and four months.
Ponsonby-Way, formerly of Surrenden Crescent, Brighton, admitted to four counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of possessing a knife or bladed article, two counts of assaulting emergency workers, and one count of possessing criminal property.
The court heard how he assaulted police officers on multiple occasi..
Stop-Search in Eastbourne Uncovers Drugs, Money, and Knife
A man has been jailed for drug offences following a proactive police stop-search in Eastbourne.
On June 8, police were patrolling Trinity Trees at around 3 pm when they observed a man passing drugs to a group of people on two separate occasions. Officers intercepted the suspect around 5 pm.
During the stop-search, police found drugs, money, and a large knife on the man, who was later identified as Kieran Martin, 24, of St Martins Crescent, South Heighton.
Martin was subsequently charged with possession of a knife in a public place, supplying Class A drugs, and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Appearing before Lewes Crown Court on July 8, Martin pleaded guilty to all three charges. He was sentenced to five years and seven months’ imprisonment.
Man Charged with 18 Counts of Rape and Sexual Assault
Detectives in Sussex have charged Sahil Ali, 19, of Corbyn Crescent in Shoreham, with 18 counts of rape and serious sexual assaults related to two teenage girls and a woman.
Ali faces nine counts of rape of a woman over 16 years of age, five counts of rape of a girl aged between 13 and 15, two counts of assault by penetration, actual bodily harm, and intentional strangulation. The alleged offences took place in West Sussex between November 2022 and July 2024.
The victims, a woman in her 30s and two teenage girls, are known to Ali and are being supported by specially trained officers. Ali appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (10 July) and was remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Lewes Crown Court on 8 August.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Cobbett said, “A complex investigation is ongoing into these distressing allegations, and I would like to thank each of these victims for coming forward and reporting to police.”
“Making sure women and girls feel safe on the..
Brighton Fan Park Disturbance Leads to Weapon Charges
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses and information following a disturbance at the Euro 2024 Fan Park in Brighton. The incident occurred around 6.40pm on Thursday, June 20, prompting a swift response from local authorities. Officers attended the scene and arrested a 25-year-old man in Richmond Parade nearby. Sussex Police have confirmed that Billy […]
Worthing Man Charged with Child Kidnap
A man has been charged with kidnap following an incident in Worthing, Sussex. An investigation was initiated after a report raised concerns for the welfare of a 7-year-old boy in Broadwater Road, Worthing, at approximately 3:30 pm on June 24. The boy involved in the incident is unharmed and is currently safe and well with […]
Man Remanded in Custody for Attempted Murder of Woman in Crawley
A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with the attempted murder of a 23-year-old woman in Crawley. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, June 25, prompted a swift response from officers following a report of a disturbance at a residence. After an investigation led by Crawley’s Safeguarding Investigation Unit, Alex Powell, of […]
Two Men Sentenced for Violent Robbery in Brighton
Charlie Crookes, 23, of Norwich Drive, Bevendean, Brighton, and Anthony Kirsten, 45, of Hillside, Southwick, have been sentenced for a violent robbery that occurred in Brighton. Both men pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article during their appearance at Lewes Crown Court on Friday, June 7. Crookes, in addition to robbery and […]
Repeat Sex Offender Jailed for Breaching Sexual Risk Order in Crawley
Malak Siftul-Hassan, a repeat sex offender with no fixed address, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for breaching a Sexual Risk Order in Crawley. The order, issued on 4 January at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, came after investigations into the sexual exploitation of a teenage girl. The terms of the order barred Siftul-Hassan from […]
