Sussex’s judges, juries and magistrates were busy in May.Sussex’s judges, juries and magistrates were busy in May.
Sussex’s judges, juries and magistrates were busy in May.

Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in May 2024

By Matt Pole
Published 1st Jun 2024, 10:08 GMT
Sussex’s judges, juries and magistrates were busy in May.

These are some of the most serious, high profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the fifth month of 2024.

All information comes directly from Sussex Police.

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed just days after he was arrested for multiple offences in Bexhill. Chris Ball was taken into custody on April 29 having been identified in connection with a string of offences at stores in the town. He brazenly walked into premises with his hood up and took items including wine, meat, chocolate, washing detergent, dishwasher tablets, cheese, candles and cakes. He filled up his own bags and even shopping baskets with goods, before making off without any attempt to pay for the items, which totalled hundreds of pounds. Ball targeted the following stores between March 14 and April 28: McColl’s in Ninfield Road, Bexhill; Lidl in Ninfield Road, BexhillSainsbury’s in Buckhurst Place, Bexhill; One Stop in Sea Road, Bexhill; Co-Op in Seabourne Road, Bexhill; One Stop in Turkey Road, Bexhill; Tesco Express in Collington Avenue, Bexhill. Thankfully, the stores reported the incidents which enabled officers to identify and arrest Ball. The 28-year-old, of Beauport Caravan Park in The Ridge West, St Leonards, was subsequently charged with 20 counts of theft from a shop. He was remanded in custody to appear before Hastings Magistrates’ Court on May 1, where he pleaded guilty to all offences. He was sentenced to a total of 14 weeks’ imprisonment and given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order, which prohibits him from the following: Entering any retail stores in Western Road, Devonshire Road, Sea Road, Seabourne Road, Ninfield Road, Turkey Road and St Leonards Road in Bexhill-on-Sea; entering Tesco Express in Collington Avenue, Bexhill-on-Sea; entering any premises that he has been informed he is banned from entering with a written notice - a copy of each notice is to be recorded with the police; concealing any item prior to payment at any retail premises; remaining in any shop or commercial premises when asked to leave by a member of staff or security; acting in an anti-social manner, that is to say a manner that causes or is likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment,

5. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in May 2024

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed just days after he was arrested for multiple offences in Bexhill. Chris Ball was taken into custody on April 29 having been identified in connection with a string of offences at stores in the town. He brazenly walked into premises with his hood up and took items including wine, meat, chocolate, washing detergent, dishwasher tablets, cheese, candles and cakes. He filled up his own bags and even shopping baskets with goods, before making off without any attempt to pay for the items, which totalled hundreds of pounds. Ball targeted the following stores between March 14 and April 28: McColl’s in Ninfield Road, Bexhill; Lidl in Ninfield Road, BexhillSainsbury’s in Buckhurst Place, Bexhill; One Stop in Sea Road, Bexhill; Co-Op in Seabourne Road, Bexhill; One Stop in Turkey Road, Bexhill; Tesco Express in Collington Avenue, Bexhill. Thankfully, the stores reported the incidents which enabled officers to identify and arrest Ball. The 28-year-old, of Beauport Caravan Park in The Ridge West, St Leonards, was subsequently charged with 20 counts of theft from a shop. He was remanded in custody to appear before Hastings Magistrates’ Court on May 1, where he pleaded guilty to all offences. He was sentenced to a total of 14 weeks’ imprisonment and given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order, which prohibits him from the following: Entering any retail stores in Western Road, Devonshire Road, Sea Road, Seabourne Road, Ninfield Road, Turkey Road and St Leonards Road in Bexhill-on-Sea; entering Tesco Express in Collington Avenue, Bexhill-on-Sea; entering any premises that he has been informed he is banned from entering with a written notice - a copy of each notice is to be recorded with the police; concealing any item prior to payment at any retail premises; remaining in any shop or commercial premises when asked to leave by a member of staff or security; acting in an anti-social manner, that is to say a manner that causes or is likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment, Photo: Sussex Police

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, 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.

6. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in May 2024

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, 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

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, 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.

7. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in May 2024

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, 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

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.

8. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in May 2024

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

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