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.
13. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A father and son who used weapons to violently assault a woman in Crawley have been convicted and jailed for causing grievous bodily harm, Sussex Police has reported. Police said Richard Chapman Senior and Richard Chapman Junior were involved in an altercation with a man at a petrol station in Balcombe Road in the town and then pursued a vehicle back to an address in the Three Bridges area. There, accompanied by a third unidentified man, they assaulted a woman outside her property with weapons including an axe, Sussex Police added. Police said Chapman Senior was arrested within days, and was convicted in June 2022, but Chapman Junior was at large until he was arrested by officers from the Specialist Enforcement Unit. Both men were charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in public, and have now both been jailed, Sussex Police added. DC Jenny Balmont, from Crawley CID, said the incident happened at about 10.30am on July 2, 2021. Police said Chapman Senior, 58, unemployed, of Carey’s Wood, Smallfield, Surrey, was arrested on July 5, 2021, and was then remanded in custody. He admitted the charges, and was imprisoned for eight years after appearing at Lewes Crown Court on June 29, 2022, Sussex Police added. Police said the court also imposed an extended sentence, which means Chapman Senior will also have to serve an additional four years on licence after his release from prison. He must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he can be considered for release on parole, Sussex Police added. Police said Chapman Junior, 31, unemployed, also of Carey’s Wood, was at large until the SEU made the arrest on August 23 last year. He also admitted the charges, and was imprisoned for four-and-a-half years when he appeared before Lewes Crown Court on December 12, 2022, Sussex Police added. Police said the courts imposed restraining orders on both men not to contact the victim or another member of her family for ten years. Photo: Sussex Police
14. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A ‘significant supplier of cocaine in the Eastbourne area’ has been handed a prison sentence, police have said. Officers said Anthony Kogo, 29, of Seaside Road, appeared before Lewes Crown Court on December 15, 2022, after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine on October 27 last year. He was sentenced to 39 months imprisonment, according to police. Acting on intelligence, police said they carried out a warrant and arrested Kogo at his address on May 4, 2022. He was found in possession of two mobile phones and following examination, evidence showed he was a significant supplier of cocaine in the Eastbourne area. As such he was further arrested on August 9 and a phone discovered on his bedside table was examined and found to have sent bulk messages advertising the sale of cocaine. He was charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine between November 27, 2021 and May 4, 2022 and between May 5, 2022 and August 9, 2022. Kogo’s sentencing is another example of the partnership work being undertaken by the Project ADDER team of Sussex Police and Op Orochi from the Metropolitan Police. Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) was launched by the Home Office at the start of 2021 with the aim of reducing drug-related crime and protecting people from harm. In the year since its launch, more than 600 Organised Crime Groups have been disrupted nationally, with almost 10,500 arrests and £3.5m in cash seized across England and Wales. More than 13,000 people have also been supported in drug treatment interventions delivered by outreach workers. County Lines dealing is the sale of drugs from large urban areas, such as London, into smaller towns such as Eastbourne. Dealers and customers are linked by mobile phone numbers, through which deals are conducted. Photo: Sussex Police
15. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A Brighton man who stole an e-scooter from a group of children in a violent robbery has been jailed. Roman Lee, 19, of Clarence Square in Brighton, was already serving a suspended sentence for a number of violent offences when he approached a group of teenagers in Eldred Drive on the night of Monday, October 31. Police said that he threatened them, assaulted one boy and took his e-scooter, which he stored at an address nearby. An investigation was launched and Lee, who was wearing a distinctive yellow tracksuit during the incident, was identified as a suspect. He was traced to the linked address, where the e-scooter was discovered as well as the yellow tracksuit. At Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, February 16, Lee was sentenced to a total of 30 months in prison for the robbery and activation of his existing suspended sentences. Photo: Sussex Police
16. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A driver who caused serious injuries to a motorcyclist after failing to stop for police has been jailed, police confirmed. Leigh Garside was seen travelling at excess speed as he drove away from police officers approaching Winchelsea. Sussex Police said the 39-year-old had already been seen reaching 100mph in a 60mph zone in Icklesham on the A259. He then ignored a police stop check and drove off, before colliding with a motorcycle rider from Essex who sustained life-changing injuries, police added. Garside was driving a Mercedes and his airbags went off, but he continued to drive away from the scene. He later admitted that he had consumed three pints of bitter at the pub before driving, police said. Police said at Lewes Crown Court on February 15, Garside admitted drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Garside, a transport driver, of Donald Way, Winchelsea, was jailed for two-and-a-half years and was disqualified from driving for six years and three months. The court heard how the incident took place at about 12.10pm on August 14 last year. A speed enforcement team recorded Garside reaching 100mph in the 60mph zone in Main Road, Icklesham. Later, approaching Winchelsea, police officers at a static stop-check site asked for him to stop, but he drove away at high speed. Police said he reached speeds of 45mph in a 30mph zone, and approaching the bend at Ferry Hill he veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit the motorcycle rider who was riding with a group of friends. Garside failed to stop, but stopped a short distance away where he was arrested by officers. In custody, he gave a positive breath test for 96 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath, police said. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. Photo: Sussex Police