Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the first third of the year.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
5. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A Crawley teenager caught in possession of £9,000 worth of drugs has been jailed, Sussex Police has reported. Police were on patrol in Haslett Avenue, Crawley, on November 8, 2022 when they spotted three men acting suspiciously. As they approached them, one of the men immediately ran off, Sussex Police added. Police said officers gave chase and the suspect discarded a number of packages as he meandered his way through a number of alleyways. He was eventually detained and a search revealed he was in possession of two mobile phones, one of which rang persistently, Sussex Police added. Police retraced their steps and discovered approximately 100 wraps of suspected Class A drugs in the alleyways. Sussex Police said the suspect was identified as 18-year-old Henry Orsini, a student, of Creasys Drive, Crawley. He was arrested and a search of his home address revealed large quantities of suspected drugs packaged in bags, wraps and blocks, police added. Police said the substances were tested and confirmed to be crack cocaine and heroin, and a drug expert calculated the overall value of the seized drugs to be in excess of £9,000. Orsini was charged with being concerned in the supply of diamorphine and crack cocaine, which he pleaded guilty to, Sussex Police added. At Lewes Crown Court on January 13, he was sentenced to a total of 21 months’ detention in a young offender institution, police reported. Sussex Police said the court directed further offences of possession of diamorphine and crack cocaine with intent to supply to remain on file. Photo: Sussex Police
6. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A man has been jailed for shoplifting and weapon offences in St Leonards. Thomas Hyde, 30, of no fixed address, appeared before Hastings Magistrates’ Court on Monday, January 16 and pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, going equipped for a theft and being in possession of a bladed article, Sussex Police said. He was sentenced to a total of 15 months imprisonment. Hyde was already on a nine-month suspended sentence. He was sentenced to six months custody on the new offences to run consecutively to this. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs, £187 victim surcharge and £204 compensation. The court heard that on Monday, December 12 last year, Hyde went into Sainsbury’s in John Macadam Way, St Leonards, and picked up a bottle of Jack Daniels and a packet of Nicorette patches worth £38 and left the store without paying. A few hours later, he returned to the same store and picked up two boxes of vodka, each box containing twelve bottles worth £216, and left the store, making no attempt to pay for the items. It also heard that on Saturday, January 14, Hyde went into Asda in Battle Road, St Leonards, and picked up various items including alcohol and food worth £40.38 and concealed them within a bag. He passed all the pay points making no attempt to pay for the items and was detained at the exit by security staff. Hyde was subsequently arrested for shoplifting. He was also found in possession of a knife and was arrested for this too. Photo: Sussex Police
7. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A couple have been jailed following an investigation by Sussex Police after a child was found to have traces of cocaine and amphetamine in their system. According to a Sussex Police press statement, Kerry-Anne Baldry, 49, of Manners Road, Southsea, and Darren Barden, 50, of Holtye Road, East Grinstead, were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering or injury to a child. They were sentenced on Friday, January 13, after being found guilty by a jury on Friday, November 18, following a trial. In 2016 a child in their care was taken to hospital with respiratory issues while the couple were living in East Grinstead. Toxicology reports found traces of cocaine & amphetamine in the child’s system which caused significant injury to the child’s health. Baldry was sentenced to two-years-eight-months while Barden was sentenced to three-years-four-months. Photo: Sussex Police
8. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
Two men who carried out a ‘vicious and unprovoked attack’ on a woman in Burgess Hill have been jailed for a total of 31 months, Sussex Police have said. Police received several reports of men fighting and causing criminal damage in Church Road in the early hours of 23 September, 2020. This escalated into reports of someone being assaulted. Enquiries revealed the victim, a 47-year-old woman, had left her flat nearby to question the men’s behaviour after she was awoken by the disturbance they caused. In response to this, one of them assaulted the woman, causing her to fall to the ground. Whilst she lay unconscious, the same suspect and his counterpart both continued to punch and kick her. The victim was taken to hospital where she was treated for head and facial injuries, and a chipped front tooth. Officers responded to the scene where one of the suspects was still present. He was identified as Charlie Hale (right), 22, unemployed, of School Lane, Welwyn, Hertfordshire. He was arrested and charged with committing grievous bodily harm, which he admitted, and was sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on May 20. Enquiries also led to the arrest of a second suspect, identified as Henry Harris (left), 21, unemployed, of North Way, Lewes. He was charged with committing actual bodily harm and causing criminal damage to the victim’s car, which he admitted, and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on January 3. Photo: Sussex Police