Sussex Police respond to incident involving a knife on-board bus; teenager charged

Sussex Police said officers received a report of a teenager with a knife at around 6pm, on Boxing Day (December 26, 2024).

The incident was reported on a Brighton and Hove bus, ‘in the Elm Grove area’, police said.

A spokesperson added: “A disturbance took place at the back of the upper deck between two people, where it was reported that a knife was exposed. The two people then disembarked from the bus.

"Following police enquiries, a suspect was identified and arrested on Friday, January 3 on suspicion of possessing a bladed article in a public place, and with possessing a Class B drug.

"The next morning, a 16-year-old boy from Brighton, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, was charged with the offences and has been bailed pending his next court appearance on February 13.”

Chief Inspector Simon Marchant said carrying a knife is a ‘serious offence’, and ‘we will treat it as this’.

He added: “A teenager has now been charged in connection with this report and we would like to thank members of the public for their cooperation throughout our enquiries.

"We remain committed enhancing safety in our communities, and will continue to tackle knife crime robustly by thoroughly investigating and pursuing all reports."

Report all instances of knife crime to police online, or by calling 101, and ‘always dial 999 in an emergency’.