Three charged after illegal rave at Lewes nature reserve

Around 100 people and 20 vehicles were in attendance. A police presence at the location was maintained and active measures were taken to seek to prevent it escalating further. The B2192 was closed to prevent more people joining.

Four people received minor injuries, police said, three from being involved in a fight and one from being bitten by a dog.

Superintendent Jayne Dando said: “Raves can cause a huge amount of disruption to local residents and damage to the land. We’d like to thank local people who called us as the site was a remote area of land.

“We were able to prevent more people joining the rave but due to the number of people we weren’t able to remove everyone from the site.

“We remained on site for the whole night and monitored the situation. We were able to arrest and charge those we believed were the organisers of the event.

“Let us know immediately if you have any suspicion that a rave is going to take place or is getting under way.”

Three people were arrested and charged. Spencer Whale, 43, unemployed, of Beaconsfield Road, Brighton, was charged with causing a public nuisance.

Graham Davis, 39, an electrician of Ballards Lane, London, was charged with causing a public nuisance.

Liam Alexander, 27, a tree surgeon of High Street, Partridge Green, Horsham, has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

All three were due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday, June 27).