Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the summer of 2024.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
5. Locked up in Sussex 2024: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A convicted drug-dealer who commuted daily from London to Hastings to distribute Class A substances has been jailed. Joel Henry was convicted of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin on April 25. It followed a four-day trial at Chichester Crown Court, where a jury found him guilty of the offences. The court heard that upon his arrest in St Leonards on November 8, 2023, Henry was found in possession of a burner style mobile phone. Data analysis showed the 40-year-old had been travelling between his home in Lakeview Road, Lambeth, London, and Hastings on a daily basis to deal to vulnerable users on the street. Further examination showed he had been sending out bulk messages advertising the sale of crack cocaine and heroin. Following the guilty verdict, Henry was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. Photo: Sussex Police
6. Locked up in Sussex 2024: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A Littlehampton man who assaulted two women has been jailed after an incredible display of bravery by female police officers. On September 2, 2023, police received a report of a woman having been sexually assaulted while walking alone through Littlehampton town centre at night. She was followed and grabbed by an unknown man, who sexually assaulted her, pushed her to the ground and fled the scene. CCTV footage showed the man loitering in the town centre for around an hour, before following her into a residential area. Despite a search of the area by police, he could not be located. The suspect was also captured on CCTV following other women around the town centre. Suspecting the man posed an ongoing risk to other women, police deployed plain clothes officers to try to catch him. Police officers, in plain clothes, were deployed to Littlehampton town centre. In the early hours of October 1, 2023, CCTV showed one of the officers – a woman in her 20s - being followed by a man who matched the description of the suspect. He tailed her for over 30 minutes through the town centre, along the seafront and into the residential Harsfold Road. Wearing a face covering, he chased after her, grabbed and assaulted her. He tried to flee the scene but officers nearby who were involved in the operation intercepted and arrested him. He was identified as 44-year-old Mark Stankus, of High Street in Littlehampton, and subsequently charged with sexual assault and causing actual bodily harm. Stankus pleaded guilty to all charges and, Porstmouth Crown Court on April 19, he was jailed for eight years, given a restraining order and became a registered sex offender for life. Photo: Sussex Police
7. Locked up in Sussex 2024: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A man has been sentenced to over a decade in prison following two violent incidents in Brighton during October last year. Joel Elliott, 34, of Springfield Road in Brighton, appeared at Lewes Crown Court on May 10 for sentencing after pleading guilty to the crimes. On October 9, in the early hours of the morning in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, Elliott aggressively charged towards a man while holding a knife. Elliott then threatened and slashed at the victim, causing multiple injuries before forcefully taking his backpack from him, which contained a wallet and other personal possessions. Less than two weeks later on October 22, a report was made to police by a woman who reported being attacked by Elliott at a Brighton address. Elliott attempted to strangle her and threatened her by holding a knife to her throat. His behaviour was described as intimidating, controlling, and threatening. Elliott was arrested on October 22 in relation to the allegations and charged the following day. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges of grievous bodily harm, robbery, possession of a knife in a public place, rape, threats to kill, assault, threats with a knife in a private dwelling, engaging in controlling/ coercive behaviour and suffocation. Elliott appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on October 24, where he was remanded into custody. At his plea hearings, Elliott pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, possession of a knife in a public place, threats with a knife in a private dwelling, engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour, and of suffocation. The pleas were accepted, and the prosecutor ordered that the rape charge should lie on file. Elliott was sentenced on May 10 to a total of 10 years and six months imprisonment. Photo: Sussex Police
8. Locked up in Sussex 2024: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A Pulborough man jailed for raping and sexually assaulting multiple young men has had his prison sentence extended following an appeal. Ian Elliott, 71, of North Heath near Pulborough, was accused of committing 92 offences against six victims in West Sussex between 1999 and 2021. At Hove Crown Court in February, Elliott was initially jailed for 18 years, with another five to be spent on licence, after pleading guilty to 43 offences against four victims. That sentence was appealed on the grounds of undue leniency. On May 16, the Court of Appeal upheld the appeal and extended Elliott’s sentence to 27 years in prison, with another five to be spent on extended licence. Photo: Sussex Police