Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the first four months of 2025.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
5. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A man has been jailed after being found guilty of blackmail following an investigation into county lines drug dealing. James Sunderland, 56, previously of Merrimede Close, St Leonards, had denied the charge but was found guilty following a trial at Brighton Crown Court on January 10 and sentenced to six years in prison. The court was told that throughout 2023 Sussex police detectives had been investigating the ‘Pattern Gang’ County drug line where there have been multiple warrants executed in East Sussex following the line holders for the drug lines being identified. Following enquiries, a woman reported to police that a member of her family had been forced to supply drugs for this drug gang in order to clear a drug debt. She had noticed that man would call at her home and hang around outside. This man had been identified as James Sunderland. The woman started giving large sums of money to the family member to pay off their drug debt as they felt threatened and under pressure. It later transpired that the money was being paid to a man called ‘Jay Jay’ who it was established was James Sunderland. The woman felt so threatened by Sunderland, she installed CCTV cameras outside her home and keep fire extinguishers by the door as she feared her house maybe burned down by Sunderland and his associates. She was forced to take out loans and borrow money from family members to pay the debt off so that she and her family did not come to any physical harm. As well as paying Sunderland through a ‘payment plan’, Sunderland demanded cash on several occasions. The victim accompanied the family member to meet Sunderland in Battle to pay him and he threatened her family member and told the individual to get into the boot of his car. She told Sunderland she would report him to the police and he then threatened her telling her he would throw acid in her face and she would never see her family member again. Photo: Sussex Police
6. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A pensioner was mauled by two out-of-control dogs, and their owners have been sentenced in court. Vic Franklin sustained life-changing injuries after the Rottweilers escaped from a property and attacked him as he walked his dog in Bognor Regis on August 18, 2023. He spent several months in hospital, where he underwent major operations including amputations to his left leg, right arm and left hand. After receiving a number of 999 calls from concerned members of public, specialist firearms officers were swiftly deployed to the scene in Lewes Close and granted authority to bring the dogs safely under control. Firearms were discharged and both dogs were confirmed deceased. Matthew Roberts, 30, and Chloe Taylor, 27 (pictured), from Chichester, were both summoned to court to answer charges of being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury, contrary to section 3(1) and (4) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. They pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, and appeared before Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing on January 30. Taylor was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment; Roberts was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Both defendants were made subject to a banning order, which prohibits them from owning a dog for 10 years. Photo: Sussex Police
7. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A paedophile who tried to arrange the rape of a young girl has been sentenced. Paul Wallis contacted another paedophile seeking to arrange a meeting to commit sexual abuse in Crawley. The 44-year-old also possessed indecent images of children, and extreme pornographic images depicting adult sexual intercourse with animals. He appeared before Lewes Crown Court on February 24 where he admitted 12 charges in total. The court was how a police team in Manchester found online chats between a paedophile in Manchester and Wallis in Sussex. Officers from Sussex Police’s Online Child Abuse team launched an investigation, and ensured the girl was appropriately safeguarded and supported. Wallis, formerly of an address in Crawley, changed his plea to guilty over the charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence or sexual assault. He admitted two further counts of possessing extreme pornographic images, eight further counts making indecent images of children ranging from Category A to Category C images of sexual abuse, and one further count of distributing indecent images of children. Wallis was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with a further eight-year extension, to make a total custodial period of 19 years. The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his access to children after he is released. Photo: Sussex Police
8. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between January and April
A serial thief has been jailed for relentless thefts in Worthing, as well as for assaulting a staff member. Karlie Everson, 38, of Manor Road in Worthing, not only repeatedly targeted supermarkets, but also stole parcels from a victims doorstep and from local small businesses between October and December 2024. Everson had already been given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) due to past thefts, preventing her from entering certain shops in West Sussex, however she went on to breach this on eight occasions. From clearing shelves of make-up, to stealing the deliveries from outside a victims door, Everson stole an estimated combined value of around £2,000 across 13 reports. Everson was located and arrested on December 9, 2024. She was charged the same day with 13 counts of shoplifting, eight breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order, possession of a Class A drug and for assault by beating. At Crawley Magistrates' Court the following day, Everson pleaded guilty to all offences and was remanded in custody to await her sentencing. At Lewes Crown Court on February 21, she was jailed for a term of 18 months. Photo: Sussex Police