Brighton Magistrates' Court Sentencing Results

An employee, the victim, broke his leg on 16 February 2024 when he fell from a Komtech compost screening machine while clearing a blockage at the company's green waste recycling site in Tangmere, Chichester. The machine was suspended at height within a large barn and lacked sufficient measures to prevent falls. The HSE investigation found that the company failed to assess risks associated with cleaning the machine, including falls from height from unguarded edges, and failed to provide a safe system of work or instructions on safely cleaning the fan housing. Employees could bypass safety measures, with the interlocked gate not preventing access to dangerous parts during cleaning.

Leeroy Shorter, 51, appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court after racking up a series of shoplifting offences. The court imposed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order requiring him to wear a location-monitoring tag for 12 months, banning him from any shop he has previously been banned from, and requiring him to stay at least 30 metres away from the Co-op on Bohemia Road.

Linas Pikturna, 43, a builder from Wick Farm Road, Littlehampton, was arrested in Ditchling Road, Brighton on 19 December 2025 and charged with driving with 80 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

On the evening of 10 December 2025, Richard Bamsey crashed his Volkswagen Golf into a barrier on Camber Road, Camber. Officers responding to the collision found the car abandoned with airbags deployed. Inquiries led police to an address in Whitesand Drive, where Bamsey was identified. He claimed the crash was due to jet lag after a flight, but he had been drinking that afternoon. He failed a breath test, recording 45 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath (the legal limit is 35mcg). He was also charged with driving without insurance.

Andrew Biffen, 56, a driver from Hedge Parsley Crescent, Pevensey, was arrested in St Anthony's Avenue, Eastbourne on 5 December 2025 and charged with driving with 81 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Andrzej Cichon was arrested on 4 December 2025 and charged with driving with 152 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, over four times the legal limit. He is a 48-year-old retired man from Wellington Road, Bognor Regis.

Anthony Yewman, 46, led police on a 16-mile high-speed chase from Handcross to Brighton on 16 May 2025. After initially stopping for police, he drove off at speed along the A23 southbound, reaching speeds up to 60mph in a 30mph zone, overtaking on a blind bend, and undertaking other vehicles. He lost control at the Mill Road roundabout at Patcham, striking a kerb and damaging the blue Ford Mondeo he was driving. Officers stopped him on the A23 near Preston Park and arrested him. He had no fixed address.

Jesse Martin Akehurst, 33, of Egmont Road, Hove, interfered with a motor vehicle in Hollingdean Road, Brighton, on Sunday 24 August, intending either to steal the vehicle or something in it. He was charged under the Criminal Attempts Act.

Mason Rogers stalked a woman by spying on her online and at her workplace, discovering her address, and sending unsettling notes and packages to her home. In February 2024, he delivered a package containing a limited-edition Valentine’s Day figurine. In August 2024, while wearing a Spider-Man mask, he delivered a second package with a book based on a TV show she enjoyed as a child, along with a card referencing the time since the first package and a QR code leading to a video titled 'My Stalker'. In December 2024, a third package was delivered with a card acknowledging himself as her stalker. This behaviour caused the victim significant fear, distress, and changes to her daily routines for safety.

Matthew Sullivan verbally abused the victim, a stranger to him, on two separate occasions at businesses in Lewes Road, Brighton: on February 19, 2016 at Sainsbury's, and on November 25, 2015 at Shabitat.

Lewis Garnie, of Dolphin Road, Shoreham, employed by Amazon Access Solutions, erected scaffolding at Argus Lofts in Robert Street, Brighton, as part of building work on August 22, 2025, without written authorisation from Brighton and Hove City Council, thereby obstructing the public highway in breach of section 169 of the Highways Act 1980.

Michael Conn dropped cigarette litter in the street in Brighton & Hove during summer 2016, failed to pay a £75 fixed penalty notice issued at the time, and did not attend court. Found guilty in absence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act.

Muhammad Noorani dropped cigarette litter in the street in Brighton & Hove during summer 2016, failed to pay a £75 fixed penalty notice issued at the time, and did not attend court. Found guilty in absence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act.

Nathan Virgo drove at excess speed in a Mercedes Sprinter van on the westbound carriageway of the A27 at Hangleton on August 9 last year. He attempted to undertake a BMW SUV at high speed, causing his vehicle to spin around to face the wrong way on the dual carriageway. The BMW was hit, flipped onto its side on the grass verge, trapping the driver with serious injuries. Virgo was arrested at the scene after testing positive for cannabis on a roadside DrugWipe test. A blood test showed 8.2 microgrammes of cannabis per litre of blood, exceeding the legal limit of 2 microgrammes.

Rona Colvin, 40, of St Helen's Crescent, targeted Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Primark, and Trespass in Hastings between 23 December 2023 and 10 February 2024. She stole goods worth more than £1,000, including ski jackets and chocolate. On one occasion, she assaulted a shop manager who tried to stop her stealing. She was arrested and later charged with 11 counts of shoplifting and one count of assault. At Brighton Magistrates' Court on Monday 12 February 2024, she was sentenced to 14 weeks in custody.

Simon Potel, of Lock hill, Portslade, was caught fraudulently using a disabled blue badge.

Stacey Ransom dropped cigarette litter in the street in Brighton & Hove during summer 2016, failed to pay a £75 fixed penalty notice issued at the time, and did not attend court. Found guilty in absence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act.

Karly Everson committed 14 shoplifting incidents between 11 March and 15 April 2024, stealing more than £1000 worth of stock from various stores in Worthing, including Co-op, Tesco Express, B&M, and Superdrug. She was arrested and charged on 18 April 2024.

Alan Docherty, of Ambleside Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, was caught fraudulently using a disabled blue badge.

Alexander Oldfield, 23, of no fixed address, committed three shoplifting offences. On 3 January 2024, he entered Asda, Pegler Way, Crawley and stole two bottles of alcohol worth more than £70. On 13 January 2024, he stole a number of t-shirts from Blacks in Crawley town centre. On 15 March 2024, he stole food items worth more than £70 from Lidl, Leylands Road, Burgess Hill. He was charged with three counts of shoplifting on 15 March.

Charles Brazil dumped piles of rubbish including laminate flooring, chipboard underlay and black sacks of waste near the Lewes Road rail viaduct in Brighton last April. He had charged a customer to dispose of the materials legally but instead flytipped them. Packaging bearing his name was found among the rubbish.

Clive Buckley, of Chesham Road, used his deceased father’s blue badge to avoid parking fees.

James Murphy was the manager of The Roebuck Inn, Lewes Road, Laughton and The Barley Mow Inn, Starrs Barn. After being asked to leave in November 2022, he threatened to interfere with the till systems. On 2 December 2022 at around 2am, the till systems were remotely accessed and changes were made to food and drink prices, prices were removed, and attempts were made to alter the floor plans. The disruption forced the owner to bring in staff to fix the issues. Murphy was located at a pub in Tunbridge Wells, arrested in January 2023, and his devices contained evidence that he had logged in and made changes to the network.

Jasmin Pierce, of Goring Road, Worthing, employed by Amazon Access Solutions, erected scaffolding at Argus Lofts in Robert Street, Brighton, as part of building work on August 22, 2025, without written authorisation from Brighton and Hove City Council, thereby obstructing the public highway in breach of section 169 of the Highways Act 1980.