Sussex Police speak out over series of violent gang attacks in Horsham

They say they are aware of growing concerns over the violent outbreaks and are taking action to deal with them.

In a statement today, Sussex Police say: “We are aware of growing concerns of unprovoked violence – and threats of violence – in Horsham, and we want to reassure the public that we are taking action to disrupt and deter this behaviour.

“We have listened to the community’s concern and have increased our resources in the area as a result, including over last weekend when we issued a dispersal order, aimed to prevent groups from gathering and committing offences.

“Dispersal notices were given to a number of individuals, and on Saturday January 21 a 39-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested for possession of a knife in the Bishopric and a racially aggravated assault at The Lynd Cross. He has been bailed for these offences.

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“We have also responded to several incidents in recent weeks, including on January 14 when two men and two women reported being assaulted by a number of youths in Middle Street. This led to a 16-year-old boy from Crawley being detained for a search; no weapons were found on his person and enquiries continue.

“On December 22, a 15-year-old was robbed of his designer jacket in Horsham Park. The following day, we arrested a 17-year-old boy from Billingshurst in connection with the offence; he has been bailed and the investigation is ongoing.

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“We continue to work closely with partners including Horsham District Council, the community and businesses to understand what the issues are, who is responsible, and how we can work together to address these issues.

“We understand that there is a lot of media speculation about this behaviour and we would discourage anyone from considering taking matters into their own hands.

"We need the community to report incidents through to us so we can gather intelligence and ensure our resources are in the right place at the right time to prevent, detect and respond to crime and ensure Horsham remains a safe space for everyone.

“You can report it online or call 101, or in an emergency, dial 999.”