Three men have been locked up for a savage assault on a teenage boy who was knocked off his bike by a car in Haywards Heath. The victim was slammed through a garden fence and smashed into a street sign before being viciously attacked, including being stabbed while lying injured on the ground. The horrific attack left the boy with life-changing injuries.
Attack Details and Sentencing
On 28 July last year, around 5.40pm, the trio spotted the teen cyclist on Sydney Road. The driver of a Vauxhall Corsa deliberately rammed him through a garden fence. The three then brutally assaulted the boy while he was down, stabbing him in the process. They fled when confronted by members of the public. Police launched a major investigation to track down the attackers. Within days, 24-year-olds Jack Ancell and Charlie Clark, along with 22-year-old Aiden Barber, were arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed weapon. All three admitted their crimes in court.
Jail Terms Handed Down at Lewes Crown Court
- Jack Ancell (Heron Close, Sayers Common): 7 years behind bars plus an extended 3-year licence due to dangerousness. He must serve two-thirds of his sentence before parole, effectively a 10-year term.
- Charlie Clark (Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint): 7 years imprisonment.
- Aiden Barber (Sycamore Drive, Burgess Hill): 6 years and 3 months in jail.
The court did not confirm which of the three men was driving during the attack.
