These are some of the most serious, high profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the seventh month of 2024.
All information comes directly from Sussex Police.
5. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in July 2024
Two men have been jailed for conspiracy to steal in connection with several theft offences committed across the South of England. The pair were arrested in February 2024 following a proactive investigation led by Hertfordshire’s Specialist Investigations Team, assisted by numerous police forces including Sussex Police’s CID unit, into a series of thefts of vehicles and tools from farms and other rural locations across Sussex, Norfolk, Devon, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. Their spree primarily targeted rural areas between November 2023 and January 2024, during which they committed eight theft offences, including the theft of three vehicles and property worth more than £44,000. Bill Harber (right), aged 22 and Joseph Brazil (left), aged 19, both from Holwell Place, Essendon, were remanded into custody following their arrest and subsequently appeared at St Albans Crown Court on June 14, 2024. The pair were each sentenced to 30 months in prison. Incidents at rural properties in Rye and Bodiam in November 2023 were among the offences they were convicted of. Photo: Sussex Police
6. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in July 2024
A Southwick man who repeatedly raped and assaulted a woman has been given a 24-year sentence. On October 18, 2023, police were called to a property in Southwick to reports of a Shaun Clarke trying to gain entry, demanding money and making violent threats. Officers attended and spoke to a woman in the property, who disclosed a catalogue of physical and sexual violence from Clarke, 53, over a number of years. Clarke sought to control her actions and separate her from her friends. When Clarke did not approve of her behaviour, he would rape and assault her. Some of the violence was witnessed by the victim’s young children. Clarke, of Whiterock Place in Southwick, would also demand money from the victim – a woman in her 40s - culminating in the incident on October 18. When Clarke was arrested later that day he assaulted a female police officer, injuring her hand. He was subsequently charged with, and convicted of, five counts of rape, two counts of assault, engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour and assaulting an emergency worker. At Lewes Crown Court on Friday, July 12, Clarke was given a sentence of 24 years, comprising 19 years in custody with another five to be spent on licence. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order, both to last indefinitely. Photo: Sussex Police
7. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in July 2024
A man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for distributing harmful drugs in Crawley. Police enquiries into the ‘JJ’ County Drug Line revealed that Omar Shackleton was suspected of running Class A substances in the town. A warrant was therefore executed at his home in Halstead Place, Halstead, Kent, in the early hours of March 8, where he was detained. A search of the address led to the discovery of approximately £5,035 cash, drug paraphernalia and numerous mobile phones. Officers also found a lump of brown substance which was lab-tested and confirmed to be 40g of a combination of heroin, Xzylazine and other cutting agents, which an estimated street value of £4,000. In addition, an extendable baton – classified as an offensive weapon – was found and seized. Shackleton, 31, was subsequently arrested and charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession of criminal property and possession of an offensive weapon. He pleaded guilty to all offences and was remanded in custody to appear before Lewes Crown Court on July 2, where he was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Photo: Sussex Police
8. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in July 2024
A Worthing sex offender has been jailed for possession of indecent images of children. Lewis Peters was arrested at his home address in Worthing on June 3 following an intelligence led operation by Sussex Police’s OCAT (Online Child Abuse Team). Peters attempted to conceal a small memory card which featured 250 category A indecent images and videos of children. His phone was examined, which was found to contain 32 Category A, 74 Category B and 12 Category C images. Peters was already subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which he was handed in April 2023. Being in possession of these images put him in breach of this order. The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photo of a child, four counts of breaching a SHPO and possession of extreme pornographic images, when he appeared before Hove Crown Court on July 5. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at Hove Crown Court on July 16. Photo: Sussex Police