27th June 2025

Dear Resident

Please see this month newsletter, which contains ,appeals, force news and crime prevention advice.

Dangerous driver disqualified for 10 years after pursuit

A dangerous driver who led police on a high-speed pursuit has been disqualified.

Anthony Yewman, 46, drove away from officers at Handcross after initially stopping.

He reached high speeds up to 60mph in a 30mph zone as he drove south into Brighton.

Officers saw him overtake other vehicles on a blind bend, and undertake other vehicles.

Driving at excess speed is one of the fatal five causes of deaths and serious collisions on our roads.

But he lost control at the Mill Road roundabout at Patcham, striking a kerb and damaging the blue Ford Mondeo he was driving.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit used specialist tactics to safely stop Yewman on the A23 near Preston Park, where he was arrested.

Yewman, of no fixed address, appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 19 May where he admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while disqualified, driving without valid insurance, fraudulent use of a vehicle registration mark, and breaching a restraining order.

He was sentenced to one year in prison and the court imposed a 10-year driving disqualification.

The court was told how the incident happened at 11.35pm on 16 May this year at Handcross.

After initially stopping for police, he made off at speed along the A23 southbound.

Speaking after the case, PC Max Setra from the Roads Policing Unit said: “Yewman’s driving was reckless and he was fortunate not to have caused injuries to himself and his passenger.

“We know that speeding is the cause of one in three collisions in Sussex.

“We also know that disqualified and uninsured drivers like Yewman pose a risk to other road users, both for causing serious collisions and also in causing higher premiums for us all.

“We carry out patrols and we are determined to catch offenders, so we are pleased that a dangerous driver has been taken off our roads and will serve a custodial sentence.”

Do you recognise this man?

We are investigating a report of a sexual assault by touching on a woman in East Grinstead earlier this month.

It happened at 7.10pm on 17 June in London Road, outside Greenway Residential and The Vapers Shop.

A 25-year-old woman walking in the street was sexually assaulted by touching. She has received support from officers.

Anyone with information or who recognises the man is asked to report it to us online or on 101 quoting serial 1410 of 17/06.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner awarded King’s Police Medal in Birthday Honours

Following the announcement of the King’s Birthday Honours we are delighted to confirm that Sussex Chief Constable Jo Shiner has been awarded the King’s Police Medal (KPM).

Jo became the force’s ninth Chief Constable in July 2020 and the first female Chief Constable in the history of Sussex Police. 

She has served as a police officer for more than 32 years and remains committed to ensuring the public of Sussex receive a police service that is professional, effective and fair, and puts the needs of the community first.

The medal recognises her distinguished services to policing which started in Norfolk in 1993, where she was promoted through a range of operational roles both in uniform, Specialist Operations and as a detective in the Public Protection Unit and CID. 

Read more here 

Out this weekend? Your safety is important to us.

Stay vigilant – keep an eye on your drink. Spikers could also add drugs to food, or tamper with vapes.

Stick together – look out for your friends

Recognise warning signs – if you or someone you are with experiences extreme drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, take it seriously and alert staff.

Trust your gut – if something feels off, alert staff and seek some help.

Report incidents – if you suspect spiking, report it to the police or inform staff.

WThis Summer we're sharing the advice of Counter Terrorism Policing so everyone can enjoy their Summer safely.

Staying safe at gigs & festivals:

Counter Terrorism Policing wants live music fans to #BeSafeBeSound, as it collaborates with the UK’s biggest music venues, arena’s and festivals to deliver vital safety advice to the public.

Are you heading to a gig or festival? Have an amazing time, but if you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it to security staff straight away.

 

Preventing car and vehicle theft

Don't let thieves get an easy ride. Follow these simple rules here to protect your vehicle from thieves

Hava good weekend

Trisha

Contact Us For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk, (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call). Call 101 when you do not require an urgent response. In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999. Speak to us face-to-face at a police station or contact the local policing team at www.sussex.police.uk/area/your-area. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999