Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the summer of 2022.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
9. Locked up in Sussex 2022: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A Bexhill man who repeatedly sexually abused a girl has been jailed for 19 years. Police said Brian Matthews, 63, of London Road in Bexhill, sexually assaulted his victim over several years. Matthews also subjected his victim to emotional and psychological abuse in a bid to normalise his behaviour and control her actions, police added. Police said he was charged with four counts of assault on a girl under 13 by touching, four counts of assault on a female over 13 with penetration, rape of a girl aged over 13, two counts of rape of a female aged 16 or over, two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three counts of sexual assault on a female, cruelty to a person under 16, and engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour. Police said Matthews denied all charges but was found guilty by a jury on all counts except one charge of rape of a female aged over 16, and the judge discharged the jury from reaching a verdict on the charge of engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour. At Lewes Crown Court on April 28, Police said Matthews was sentenced to 19 years in jail, including one year on extended licence. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order forbidding any contact with the victim or any child under 18 without consent of a parent/guardian and social services, or if inadvertent and not reasonably avoidable. Police said he is also prohibited from possessing any device capable of storing or accessing digital images, unless access is provided for inspection by a police officer or police employee. Photo: Sussex Police
10. Locked up in Sussex 2022: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A thief who assaulted a shop worker and a police officer has been jailed after stealing alcohol from an airport shop has been jailed. Stewart Hicks had been prohibited from entering Gatwick Airport following his antisocial behaviour. But the 43-year-old entered the North Terminal along with a woman at about 3am on May 4. He was seen entering the Marks and Spencer store three times in order to steal items including bottles of wine, a bottle of beer, and then 26 cans of energy drinks. Members of the public reported Hicks to staff on duty, who challenged him over thefts. He returned the energy drinks, but left the terminal with the alcohol. A staff member challenged him further, at which point Hicks confronted the victim and punched him. Later, after he was arrested on suspicion of theft and assault, he remained constantly abusive towards officers and security. In custody, Hicks ignored warnings to stop, and kicked and stamped on an officer’s foot. He was further arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. Hicks, of no fixed address, appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on May 5, where he admitted shoplifting, assault, assaulting an emergency worker, and breaching a prohibition not to enter Gatwick Airport. He was jailed for a total of 16 weeks and was ordered to pay £50 in compensation to the shop worker and £50 to the police officer he assaulted. Photo: Sussex Police
11. Locked up in Sussex 2022: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A criminal network that distributed cocaine and heroin in Crawley, led by father and son ice cream van operators, was completely dismantled by a complex Sussex Police investigation and has now resulted in prison sentences totalling nearly 50 years for the pair and six other men. The force's Serious Organised Crime Unit investigation, codenamed Operation Relic, targeted Lubhaia Ram (left), his son Surinder Kumar, (right) and their associates over the supply of cocaine and heroin in 2017 and 2018. Photo: Sussex Police
12. Locked up in Sussex 2022: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A criminal network that distributed cocaine and heroin in Crawley, led by father and son ice cream van operators, was completely dismantled by a complex Sussex Police investigation and has now resulted in prison sentences totalling nearly 50 years for the pair and six other men. The following five men were sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on April 14. Surinder Kumar, 39, of Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead, was sentenced to five years, to run consecutively to an eleven year sentence he is already serving after a separate case, for conspiracy to supply and supplying Class A drugs, imposed at Kingston Crown Court on May 10 2019. His father, Lubhaia Ram, 60, of Lingfield Drive, Worth, Crawley, was sentenced to seven years, plus four years on subsequent extended prison licence. Wayne Mather, 51, of Brighton Road, Crawley, (left in main photo) was sentenced to six years and nine months. Jamie Yardley, 31, of Kennet Close, Crawley, (centre) was sentenced to eight years and three months. Ferit Dajcaj, 34, of Harrier Rd, Colindale, London NW9, (right) was sentenced to three years and ten months. Photo: Sussex Police