Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in September 2023
These are some of the most serious, high-profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the ninth month of 2023. (Photo: Sussex Police)
These are some of the most serious, high-profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the ninth month of 2023.
All information comes directly from Sussex Police.
Four men convicted of operating a county drugs line in East Sussex have been given prison sentences. Proactive police work from Brighton and Hove’s Community Investigation Team found two men – Reggie Gwyer, 22, of Harleston Road in Portsmouth, and Daniel Ghasemi, 37, of North Road in Brighton (pictured) – dealing drugs to the street community Manchester Street on September 7, 2022. Sussex Police said Ghasemi was arrested and found with a large amount of cash and a white Nokia phone. It received a call from a county line known as the BOSS line while officers were there, police added. The pair’s hotel room was searched and two more men – Shaun Harper, 30, of Braintree Road in Portsmouth, and Steven Tunbridge, 29, of Estella Road in Portsmouth – were found inside, Sussex Police confirmed. Inside the hotel room were more than 500 wraps of Class A drugs, cash and multiple mobile phones – one of which was found in the toilet in an apparent attempt to destroy it, Sussex Police added. All four were arrested and subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, Sussex Police confirmed. At Lewes Crown Court on Friday, September 15, Ghasemi was jailed for two years.
Four men convicted of operating a county drugs line in East Sussex have been given prison sentences. Proactive police work from Brighton and Hove’s Community Investigation Team found two men – Reggie Gwyer, 22, of Harleston Road in Portsmouth, and Daniel Ghasemi, 37, of North Road in Brighton – dealing drugs to the street community Manchester Street on September 7, 2022. The pair’s hotel room was searched and two more men – Shaun Harper, 30, of Braintree Road in Portsmouth (pictured), and Steven Tunbridge, 29, of Estella Road in Portsmouth – were found inside, Sussex Police confirmed. Police said Harper tried to escape through a window and Tunbridge was hiding in the bathroom, but both were arrested. Inside the hotel room were more than 500 wraps of Class A drugs, cash and multiple mobile phones – one of which was found in the toilet in an apparent attempt to destroy it, Sussex Police added. All four were arrested and subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, Sussex Police confirmed. At Lewes Crown Court on June 23, Harper was jailed for five years.
Four men convicted of operating a county drugs line in East Sussex have been given prison sentences. Proactive police work from Brighton and Hove’s Community Investigation Team found two men – Reggie Gwyer, 22, of Harleston Road in Portsmouth, and Daniel Ghasemi, 37, of North Road in Brighton – dealing drugs to the street community Manchester Street on September 7, 2022. The pair’s hotel room was searched and two more men – Shaun Harper, 30, of Braintree Road in Portsmouth, and Steven Tunbridge, 29, of Estella Road in Portsmouth (pictured) – were found inside, Sussex Police confirmed. Police said Harper tried to escape through a window and Tunbridge was hiding in the bathroom, but both were arrested. Inside the hotel room were more than 500 wraps of Class A drugs, cash and multiple mobile phones – one of which was found in the toilet in an apparent attempt to destroy it, Sussex Police added. All four were arrested and subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, Sussex Police confirmed. At Lewes Crown Court on June 23, Tunbridge for three years and three months.
An eighth member of an East Sussex drug gang has been jailed after a ground-breaking investigation by Sussex Police and its partners. Harley Roberts, 25, of Havalon Close in Basildon, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, and conspiracy to commit a modern slavery offence, Sussex Police confirmed. Police said he also received a ten-year Slavery Trafficking Prevention Order, handed down at Hove Crown Court on Thursday, September 14. Roberts’ sentence takes the gang’s total jail time to 53 years and eight months, Sussex Police added. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A man has been sentenced following his involvement in violent offences in Bexhill, Sussex Police have confirmed. Police said Connor Hyland-Whiting assaulted a man with a machete in the street following an earlier altercation in a town centre pub. The 25-year-old also committed offences in East Sussex. Following a public appeal, he was located at a holiday park in Camber Sands and was arrested and charged, police said. At Lewes Crown Court on September 11, he admitted wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a knife, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and affray. Police said he was sentenced to a total of five years in prison, with an additional four years on his licence period. Sussex Police said the court was told how an argument broke out inside a pub in London Road, Bexhill, at 11.20pm on February 24. Police said Hyland-Whiting and the victim had to be separated by security staff, and witnesses described Hyland-Whiting as becoming ‘irate’ and assaulting a security guard. After being removed, he was later seen emerging from a vehicle with a machete and assaulting the original victim in the town centre before running off, Sussex Police added. Police said the victim suffered injuries consistent with a stabbing and required hospital treatment. A month earlier, Hyland-Whiting was involved in a separate violent incident, Sussex Police added. Police said he was involved in an affray at a premises in Mount Road, Hastings, in the early hours of January 22, where he was seen holding a knife. Hyland-Whiting was arrested by officers from the Tactical Enforcement Unit on March 3 and was taken into custody, Sussex Police added. Police said his offences were deemed so serious that the court also imposed an extended sentence, as Hyland-Whiting is considered at risk of committing similar serious offences. This means he will not be automatically released half way through serving his sentence, but instead must serve a minimum of two-thirds of the term before he can then be considered for parole, Sussex Police confirmed. Police said Hyland-Whiting must also serve an additional four years on licence after his release from prison, taking the overall sentence to nine years. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A gardener who raped two girls has been jailed for 16 years. John Gosling’s 'appalling abuse' of the two girls included raping them as well as other sexual abuse. Gosling, from Grange Close in Three Bridges, was convicted of 11 offences at Lewes Crown Court on September 14. The offences, which dated in the late 2000s and late 2010s, included raping a girl under the age of 13 and raping a girl between the ages of 13 and 15. Gosling was told he will have to serve a minimum of ten-and-a-half years before he can be considered for parole. A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed, which restricts his access to children, and he will be a registered sex offender for life. His 11 convictions included assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by penetration, two counts of assaulting a girl aged 13 to 15 by penetration, and charges of attempting to engage girls aged 13 to 15 in both penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A man who who took indecent images of two young girls has been jailed for eight years, Sussex Police has revealed. Police said Neil Schooley, 55, of Woburn Place in Brighton, asked a young girl to remove her clothes and pose for a photograph and, two days later, exposed himself to the child. An investigation was launched after the offences were reported and a second girl came forward to report Schooley had given her wine, asked her to take off her clothes and taken a picture of her. "Schooley was arrested and subsequently charged with three counts of taking indecent images of a child and two counts of causing or inciting sexual activity with a child," a police spokesperson said. "He pleaded not guilty to all charges, but was found guilty of each offence after a trial at Hove Crown Court in July." At the same court on Friday, August 31, Schooley was sentenced to eight years in prison, police said. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order significantly reducing his access to children and vulnerable people. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A man has been jailed for three years for attacking a woman who was walking her dog in Eastbourne in broad daylight, police have said. Police said Lewis Wood, 29, grabbed the woman from behind before assaulting her and pulling her to the floor at around 2.25pm on Saturday, February 25, in Hampden Park. A Sussex Police spokesperson added: “CCTV footage showed Wood, of no fixed address, creep through the bushes before running back to his car after the attack just over a minute later. He appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Friday, August 18, and was sentenced to three years in prison with an extended two years on licence after pleading guilty to intent to commit a sexual offence and non-fatal strangulation at an earlier hearing.” The court heard that just five minutes before the attack Wood had been calling and texting a sex worker asking for sex in exchange for money, according to officers. Police said Wood was arrested less than 20 minutes after police received a call from a witness who came to the woman’s aid. Wood’s car was spotted by officers half-a-mile from the scene and both a mobile phone and cable ties were found inside, Sussex Police added. Police said extended sentences are imposed in certain types of cases where the court has found that the offender is dangerous and an extended licence period is required to protect the public from risk of serious harm. The judge also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, preventing Wood from committing further sexual offences, according to officers. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A prolific burglar broke into four properties over a three-week period, Sussex Police has revealed. Police said William Djama, 35 – of no fixed address – targeted homes across Brighton and Hove in December, 2022, stealing items he would later sell at pawn shops. “An investigation uncovered CCTV and receipts linking Djama to items stolen from each of the burglaries that were later sold on,” a police spokesperson said. “On several occasions he was disturbed by residents while he was in their homes.” Sussex Police said the force was first made aware of Djama’s ‘burglary series’ on December 10, following a break-in overnight in Centurion Road in Brighton. A downstairs window had been broken and a number of items stolen, police said. “Four days later, a resident of Somerhill Avenue in Hove disturbed Djama as he was stealing electrical items and chased him out of a downstairs window,” the spokesperson added. "On December 19, another burglary was reported in Springfield Road. Downstairs windows were damaged and a man later identified as Djama was seen leaving the scene. A fourth break-in was reported on December 30 in Queensbury Mews, believed to have taken place on December 23, with a similar modus operandi – ground floor entry and electrical items stolen.” Police said Djama was arrested on January 4, charged with four counts of burglary and remanded in custody. At Lewes Crown Court on September 8, police said Djama was jailed for a total of five years and nine months after being found guilty of all charges and activating a suspended sentence handed down in August, 2022, for previous burglaries. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A prolific burglar who raided multiple Worthing businesses – including cafés, a restaurant, a convenience store and a hairdresser – has been jailed. Sussex Police said Fardin Farji was sentenced to 23-months and two weeks’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on August 25 ‘following his latest crime spree in Worthing’. The 30-year-old, of no fixed address, had been given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order in August 2021 in response to his persistent offending, police said. But Farji ‘repeatedly breached the conditions’ of the order – which was designed to protect the community and prevent him from committing further offences, police added. Police said Farji was arrested in June after Worthing CID gathered evidence and presented it to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the following charges: Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on February 25, 2023; Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on March 12, 2023; Theft of a bicycle at Sainsbury’s, Lyons Farm, on March 30, 2023; Burglary at Freshair, Downland Parade, on April 20-21, 2023; Attempt burglary at Quickstop, Railway Approach, on April 22-23, 2023; Burglary at Crabshack, Marine Parade, on April 26, 2023; Attempt burglary at The Malt Café, Montague Street, on April 27, 2023; Burglary at The Coffee House, Liverpool Road, on April 29, 2023; Interfering with a vehicle in Heene Road on November 12, 2022; Handling of stolen goods in Howard Street on October 20, 2022; Fraud by false representation in Howard Street on October 20, 2022; Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in Worthing town centre on March 7, 2023. (Photo: Sussex Police)
A woman from the Wealden district who repeatedly ‘failed to keep her dogs under control, including around livestock’, has been convicted at court. Livia Morvay, 65, of Station Road, Heathfield, was sentenced at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on August 15 for livestock worrying and nine breaches of her Community Protection Notice, said Sussex Police. A spokesperson added: “An investigation by Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team began in 2020 after members of the local community reported multiple incidents of Morvay’s dogs being out of control. In total, there were 27 reports of her dogs worrying livestock, knocking people over, and chasing other dogs. Morvay was arrested and charged with livestock worrying on three separate occasions and issued with a Community Protection Warning and a Community Protection Notice.”These required Morvay to ensure her dogs wore a muzzle when being walked in public, however she continued to breach the conditions of these orders. In August, Morvay was convicted of nine breaches of the Community Protection Notice and fined £600 for each breach, totalling £5,400. She was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to one of the victims and £190 to the court, said police. Morvay was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order, which prevents her from keeping or controlling any dog for five years. If caught doing so, she could be arrested and face a prison sentence of up to five years, police added. (Photo: Sussex Police)
Seven members of a Brighton drugs gang have been jailed for a total of 46 years and four months after a ground-breaking investigation by Sussex Police and its partners. The sentences follow a two-year investigation by the Brighton Community Investigation Team (CIT) into the HECTOR county drugs line, which brought crack cocaine and heroin into Brighton from Essex during 2020. Alongside drug convictions, eight defendants were convicted of modern slavery offences against four children in an extremely rare outcome for a case such as this. One is awaiting sentence. This was the second iteration of the HECTOR line, which was first dismantled after a two-year operation by Brighton CIT, that saw ten men jailed for a total of more than 64 years. Police became aware of the HECTOR line returning to operation under new leadership towards the end of 2020 and an investigation revealed it was controlled by five senior leaders in Essex – Thomas Warwick, Gary Goodwin, Jayden Henry-Flavien, Liam Harvey and Harley Roberts. Three more individuals were identified as being involved in the transportation of people and drugs, and support of the criminal conspiracy – Dean Warrington, Cris Donovan and Nicola McKenzie, who allowed the group to use her property in Brighton as a base of operations. The investigation also found four children had been recruited to deal drugs in Brighton and Hove, transported to the city by Warrington and Donovan and in some cases allowed to stay with McKenzie. This practice is typical of county lines dealing, where gangs from larger urban cities deal drugs in smaller, more rural areas, often exploiting children and other vulnerable people in the process. Once located, the four children were treated as victims in the investigation, safeguarded and offered support by Sussex Police and community partners to help steer them away from further criminality. During their three months of running the HECTOR line, the group supplied around 8,000 wraps of Class A drugs in Brighton and Hove, with a street value of around £80,000. All eight defendants were arrested in several operations between October, 2020 and the summer of 2021. They were each subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit a modern slavery offence for their role in exploiting the children, as well as conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and conspiracy to supply heroin. All eight pleaded guilty to all of the offences against them. At Hove Crown Court on Thursday, August 31, seven received the following sentences: Cris Donovan, 31, of Bishops Hall Road, Essex – five years in prison; Gary Goodwin, 23, of Eastwood Road, Essex – seven years in prison; Liam Harvey, 25, of Hermitage Drive, Essex – eight and a half years in prison; Jayden Henry-Flavien, 31, of Bellhouse Road, Southend-on-Sea – eight years in prison, including a current sentence for drug offences in Essex; Nicola McKenzie, 49, of Ingram Crescent West, Brighton – 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 200 hours unpaid work and 15 hours of rehabilitation activity; Dean Warrington, 47, of Pamplins, Essex – four and half years in prisonl Thomas Warwick, 32, of Prospect Close, Southend-on-Sea – 11 years in prison, including a current sentence for drug offences in Essex. Five members of the gang were also given slavery and trafficking prevention orders to last ten years. Passing sentence, Judge Mooney said the gang regarded the exploited children as 'disposable cannon fodder by those in charge, who care not for the risks of violence or worse that they run as they supply drug to desperate addicts'.
A Bexhill man who sexually assaulted and took more than 100 indecent images of a child has been jailed, police said. William Reid, 35, of Dorset Road, Bexhill, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault, and six counts of making indecent images of a child, Sussex Police said. Police said Reid, who was jailed for five years, will be a registered sex offender for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which restricts his access to females under the age of 18 and limits his use and accessibility to digital devices and systems, for life. Reid was sentenced on Wednesday, August 2.