Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the final four months of the year.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
9. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between September and December
A man has been jailed for three years for attacking a woman who was walking her dog in Eastbourne in broad daylight, police have said. Police said Lewis Wood, 29, grabbed the woman from behind before assaulting her and pulling her to the floor at around 2.25pm on Saturday, February 25, in Hampden Park. A Sussex Police spokesperson added: “CCTV footage showed Wood, of no fixed address, creep through the bushes before running back to his car after the attack just over a minute later. He appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Friday, August 18, and was sentenced to three years in prison with an extended two years on licence after pleading guilty to intent to commit a sexual offence and non-fatal strangulation at an earlier hearing.” The court heard that just five minutes before the attack Wood had been calling and texting a sex worker asking for sex in exchange for money, according to officers. Police said Wood was arrested less than 20 minutes after police received a call from a witness who came to the woman’s aid. Wood’s car was spotted by officers half-a-mile from the scene and both a mobile phone and cable ties were found inside, Sussex Police added. Police said extended sentences are imposed in certain types of cases where the court has found that the offender is dangerous and an extended licence period is required to protect the public from risk of serious harm. The judge also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, preventing Wood from committing further sexual offences, according to officers. Photo: Sussex Police
10. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between September and December
A prolific burglar broke into four properties over a three-week period, Sussex Police has revealed. Police said William Djama, 35 – of no fixed address – targeted homes across Brighton and Hove in December, 2022, stealing items he would later sell at pawn shops. “An investigation uncovered CCTV and receipts linking Djama to items stolen from each of the burglaries that were later sold on,” a police spokesperson said. “On several occasions he was disturbed by residents while he was in their homes.” Sussex Police said the force was first made aware of Djama’s ‘burglary series’ on December 10, following a break-in overnight in Centurion Road in Brighton. A downstairs window had been broken and a number of items stolen, police said. “Four days later, a resident of Somerhill Avenue in Hove disturbed Djama as he was stealing electrical items and chased him out of a downstairs window,” the spokesperson added. "On December 19, another burglary was reported in Springfield Road. Downstairs windows were damaged and a man later identified as Djama was seen leaving the scene. A fourth break-in was reported on December 30 in Queensbury Mews, believed to have taken place on December 23, with a similar modus operandi – ground floor entry and electrical items stolen.” Police said Djama was arrested on January 4, charged with four counts of burglary and remanded in custody. At Lewes Crown Court on September 8, police said Djama was jailed for a total of five years and nine months after being found guilty of all charges and activating a suspended sentence handed down in August, 2022, for previous burglaries. Photo: Sussex Police
11. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between September and December
A prolific burglar who raided multiple Worthing businesses – including cafés, a restaurant, a convenience store and a hairdresser – has been jailed. Sussex Police said Fardin Farji was sentenced to 23-months and two weeks’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on August 25 ‘following his latest crime spree in Worthing’. The 30-year-old, of no fixed address, had been given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order in August 2021 in response to his persistent offending, police said. But Farji ‘repeatedly breached the conditions’ of the order – which was designed to protect the community and prevent him from committing further offences, police added. Police said Farji was arrested in June after Worthing CID gathered evidence and presented it to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the following charges: Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on February 25, 2023; Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on March 12, 2023; Theft of a bicycle at Sainsbury’s, Lyons Farm, on March 30, 2023; Burglary at Freshair, Downland Parade, on April 20-21, 2023; Attempt burglary at Quickstop, Railway Approach, on April 22-23, 2023; Burglary at Crabshack, Marine Parade, on April 26, 2023; Attempt burglary at The Malt Café, Montague Street, on April 27, 2023; Burglary at The Coffee House, Liverpool Road, on April 29, 2023; Interfering with a vehicle in Heene Road on November 12, 2022; Handling of stolen goods in Howard Street on October 20, 2022; Fraud by false representation in Howard Street on October 20, 2022; Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on March 7, 2023. Photo: Sussex Police
12. Locked up in Sussex 2023: These are some of the criminals jailed between September and December
A Bexhill man who sexually assaulted and took more than 100 indecent images of a child has been jailed, police said. William Reid, 35, of Dorset Road, Bexhill, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault, and six counts of making indecent images of a child, Sussex Police said. Police said Reid, who was jailed for five years, will be a registered sex offender for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which restricts his access to females under the age of 18 and limits his use and accessibility to digital devices and systems, for life. Reid was sentenced on Wednesday, August 2. Photo: Sussex Police