Sussex Alerts - Eastbourne Police

Friday 29th May 2026

Sussex Alerts - Eastbourne Police

Dear Residents,

Please find below the latest Sussex Alerts from Eastbourne Police.

Knife Crime Awareness

Last week our Neighbourhood Youth Officers spent the week visiting local schools raising awareness about the dangers and serious consequences of knife crime.

Together they used the week of awarenss to help open up conversations with youngsters and teens, and help encourge them to speak up to police, teachers, parents, friends or charities if they have any worries or concerns.

This work support the work conducted by both local policing teams, including Youth Officers, and wider policing teams across Sussex 365 days a year to help ensure the County remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

See Youth Officers in action last week here and obtain advice and support, as well as read more about the campaign ‘One Choice, Two Futures’ online here.

Appeal to identify woman after assault in Eastbourne nightclub

Police investigating a report of an assault in Eastbourne have released an image of a woman they wish to speak with here.

The unprovoked assault happened in the CTRL nightclub in Pevensey Road at 2.30am on 17 May, the victim, a 19-year-old woman, sustained injuries in the assault.

Officers are investigating, and have appealed for witnesses or anyone with further information about what happened to come forward.

They are also seeking to identify a young woman seen wearing a black dress and distinctive white boots here.

Anyone with information can report it to Sussex Police online or call 101 and quote reference 192 of 17/05.

Arrests made following motorbike thefts in Eastbourne

Police in Eastbourne have made two arrests after responding to reports of off road bikes being driven in a dangerous manner on Sunday (24 May).

Two bikes were sighted in the Shinewater area, where they subsequently split up and made off from police. We conducted area searches and located two boys aged 16 and 17 who both attempted to make off but were detained nearby.

They were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and going equipped to commit theft. They have since been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

Later in the evening, officers in Wealden located and recovered both bikes which had been abandoned in Adur Park, Stone Cross.

Inspector Chris Yabsley from the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We understand the impact that the theft of motor vehicles has on owners, and the wider impact these offences have on our communities.

“The weekend’s activity forms part of our ongoing efforts in the last few months to disrupt vehicle-related crime, gather intelligence and respond proactively to community concerns, and we hope this action reassures the public that we are actively working to address concerns and tackle this issue.

“We would also like to encourage residents review their vehicle security measures, and to report any theft or suspicious activity involving motor vehicles either online or by phone 101. In an emergency always phone 999."

Eastbourne man jailed for rape and sexual offences against child (sensitive reading)

44-year-old man from Eastbourne has been jailed following his conviction for rape and sexual offences involving a teenage girl.

He was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Monday (18 May) after being convicted of six offences relating to the rape of, and sexual activity with, a female child; his sentence was 13 years’ imprisonment and made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Further details on the case here.

The offences were committed between 2023 and 2025 when the victim was aged between 13 and 15 years old.

The offending first came to light in August 2025 and he was arrested on 10 August, 2025. He was charged on 12 August, 2025, and appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court the same day where he was remanded in custody.

He denied the offences, and the case proceeded to trial at Lewes Crown Court on 4 February, 2026. Following a trial lasting almost four weeks, the jury returned guilty verdicts on six of the 11 charges on 24 February, 2026. 

These included three counts of sexual activity with a child, one alternative count of sexual activity with a child, one count of causing / inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of rape.

He was found not guilty of three counts of rape, one alternative count of sexual activity with a child, and one offence of sexual activity with a child relating to a second victim.

He appeared before the court on Monday, 18 May to be sentenced.

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Constable Tania Snashall from the Sussex Police Iris Team said: “It is down to the bravery of the victim in this case speaking out that the offending of this man came to light.

“The fact he chose to deny the offences throughout the investigation and subjected the victim, as well as witnesses, to giving evidence in court speaks volumes of his inability to accept responsibility for what he had done.

“No sentence can ever reflect the seriousness of the offending where the defendant took advantage of the young female who trusted and looked up to him.

“I hope the victim and her family can now begin the process of rebuilding their lives and moving forward from this.”

Police continue to encourage anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences to report it. Reports can be made online or by calling 101. In an emergency always call 999. 

Victims will be listened to, supported and treated with respect.

For more information and support, please visit our website here.

If you are a victim of sexual offending in Sussex, we and our partners will do all we can to support you. There are a range of independent partner services, including:

Find out more about the free support available to victim-survivors of crime on the Safe Space Sussex website here.

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 have a hearing or speech impairment, or other forms of communication difficulties.

Those with textphone can text 18001 101, or BSL users can use SignVideo to provide a Video Relay Service (here: https://signvideo.co.uk/), to report crime through a live online interpreter, who will contact the police on your behalf, when you do not require an urgent response.

In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger please use the textphone service 18000 or text us on 999.

BSL users can call 999 BSL (here: https://999bsl.co.uk/)  to use a British Sign Language interpreter.

For more information on textphone and Relay UK, including help setting up the Relay APP please visit: https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html