Here we take a look at some of the criminals locked up during the summer of 2025.
All of the information below comes from either Sussex Police or our reporters attending court in person.
17. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A dangerous driver caused life-changing injuries in a collision on the A27. Nathan Cole was distracted on the dual carriageway at Southbourne. He failed to see a broken-down vehicle in the carriageway, and struck it at high speed. It caused devastating injuries for the driver who was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Cole later admitted that he had been checking social media on his phone prior to the collision. The victim underwent surgery for a leg amputation as well as treatment for other critical injuries. Cole, 29, of Denton Drive, Brighton, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving at a hearing at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on April 8. He appeared at Lewes Crown Court for sentencing on June 13, where he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison and was disqualified from driving for four years and four months. The court was told how the incident happened at 12.10pm on December 13, 2023 on the A27 at Southbourne. Dashcam and footage from inside Cole’s vehicle shows him being distracted inside the vehicle. Footage from an internal dashcam suggested Cole was travelling at 72mph, which was 12mph faster than the speed limit for his vehicle. Cole failed to see the hazard ahead of him along a long, straight stretch of road. The Volkswagen van he was driving collided with a Peugeot which had broken down. The driver of the Peugeot, a man in his 60s from Hampshire, was struck directly by the van and was taken to hospital. He remained in a coma over the Christmas period, and required a leg amputation. Photo: Sussex Police
18. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A father and son have been sentenced over their roles in a serious collision near Pevensey. Luic Buckley-Barber, 19, was driving a Ford Escort that was not roadworthy. Footage from his friends showed him driving at high speeds and showing off. He later lost control and overturned his vehicle into a watery ditch. The collision caused serious injuries to a woman travelling in the vehicle. But instead of calling the emergency services, the then 17-year-old called his father Jason Barber, 46, and the pair concocted a story about the crash. Despite her injuries, Barber drove his son home first, in the opposite direction to the hospital, then took the young woman to hospital. During the journey the woman heard the father and son inventing a story about Buckley-Barber having to swerve to avoid an animal. Officers later attended the home address, but Barber told officers his son was not present, and he did not know where his son was. At the scene of the crash, beer cans were recovered from around the Ford Escort, and Buckley-Barber had been with friends at a party earlier in the night. But the teenager was not found on the night of the crash, and only called police 12 hours later. Following a thorough investigation both men were charged. Luic Buckley-Barber, 19, of Maresfield Drive, Pevensey, was charged with causing serious injuries by dangerous driving. Luic Buckley-Barber was sentenced to one year and four months in prison, and was disqualified from driving for three years. Photo: Sussex Police
19. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
The court heard how the incident happened on April 28, 2023. Staff at the Eastbourne District General Hospital reported the collision to the police after the young woman was taken to A&E. Officers located the Ford Escort submerged in deep water in a ditch in Sluice Lane, Pevensey. The passenger told police how she heard the pair concoct a story about swerving to avoid an animal in the road. Buckley-Barber initially called the police 12 hours later, and repeated the lie. Phones were seized from both men, and revealed that Barber sent a text message to a friend, claiming he “hid” his son from police on the night they were looking to locate him. Meanwhile further mobile phone footage showed Buckley-Barber’s reckless driving on the night shortly before the crash. Jason Barber, 46, of Maresfield Drive, Pevensey, was charged with perverting the course of justice. Barber was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for perverting the course of justice. Photo: Sussex Police
20. Locked up in Sussex 2025: These are some of the criminals jailed between May and August
A drug dealer using a County Line to supply class A substances in Horsham has been jailed. Joseph Sseruwo was working as part of the ‘Milky’ drugs line in the town centre. Officers from the Specialist Enforcement Unit had linked his Mercedes to drug dealing in the area. When stopped, he tried to discard items between bins. But these were seized by officers, who found more than 100 wraps in total. A further search of an address Sseruwo was using found further cash linked to drug supply. A blade was also seized from the address. After an investigation by the West Sussex CIT team, the 31-year-old appeared in court, charged with four drugs charges and a money laundering charge. Sseruwo, of Peabody Avenue, Pimlico, was sentenced to three years in prison at Lewes Crown Court on May 1. The court was told how officers made the arrest on April 1 this year in East Street, Horsham. Plain clothes officers saw Sseruwo completing suspected drug deals. When they approached, he tried to throw away a bag containing wraps of heroin and crack cocaine. Sseruwo admitted possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, and possessing, using or acquiring criminal property. Photo: Sussex Police