Lewes Crown Court Sentencing Results

Ioannis Melitsis, also known as Yiannis Melitsis, 48, of Hove Park Villas, Hove, used EncroChat handle 'metalica' to offer supply of almost 300kg of drugs including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis, amphetamine, and ecstasy during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. He acted as a middleman in a sophisticated operation involving production, supply, and importation of about 800kg of drugs worth millions. Arrested in June 2023 as part of Operation Winehouse by Sussex Police.

Hafiz Irfan, 44, of Tilgate, Crawley, used EncroChat handle 'snowtart' to offer supply of 73kg of drugs including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis, amphetamine, and ecstasy during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. He acted as a middleman in a sophisticated operation involving production, supply, and importation of about 800kg of drugs worth millions. Arrested in June 2023 as part of Operation Winehouse by Sussex Police.

Steven Morley, 45, of Felbridge, East Grinstead, used EncroChat handle 'incrediblehorse' to offer supply of almost 300kg of drugs including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis, amphetamine, and ecstasy during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. He acted as a middleman in a sophisticated operation involving production, supply, and importation of about 800kg of drugs worth millions, and ran a cannabis production setup. Arrested in October 2024 as part of Operation Winehouse by Sussex Police.

Mitch Moon Mellor, 44, of Brighton, used EncroChat handle 'speedyballoon' and later 'easternotter' to arrange the supply of 135kg of drugs including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis, amphetamine, and ecstasy during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. He acted as a middleman in a sophisticated operation involving production, supply, and importation of about 800kg of drugs worth millions. Arrested in June 2023 as part of Operation Winehouse by Sussex Police.

Connor Luck, aged 21 of Blackboys, and Joshua Brinkley deliberately started multiple arson fires across Sussex between June and November 2021, targeting abandoned buildings, agricultural barns, farmland, haybales, and a vehicle, causing extensive damage and disruption estimated at £1,117,825. The incidents included a blaze at a derelict property in Horsham on 26 June 2021, a fire in Wivelsfield Green on 8 July 2021, outbuildings in Lower Willingdon on 29 August 2021, a barn in Beddingham on 2 November 2021, hay bales in Rathfinny on 4 November 2021, barns in Tarring Neville on 6 November 2021, a silver Vauxhall Corsa in Ringmer on 7 November 2021, and haybales near Litlington Road in Seaford on 7 November 2021. All fires were confirmed as arson. Luck was charged with two counts of arson. The attacks were committed for amusement, resulting in loss of a season's feed and bedding for farmers, with no serious injuries but potential for tragedy.

Joshua Brinkley, aged 20 of Southfield in Polegate, and Connor Luck deliberately started multiple arson fires across Sussex between June and November 2021, targeting abandoned buildings, agricultural barns, farmland, haybales, and a vehicle, causing extensive damage and disruption estimated at £1,117,825. The incidents included a blaze at a derelict property in Horsham on 26 June 2021, a fire in Wivelsfield Green on 8 July 2021, outbuildings in Lower Willingdon on 29 August 2021, a barn in Beddingham on 2 November 2021, hay bales in Rathfinny on 4 November 2021, barns in Tarring Neville on 6 November 2021, a silver Vauxhall Corsa in Ringmer on 7 November 2021, and haybales near Litlington Road in Seaford on 7 November 2021. All fires were confirmed as arson. Brinkley was charged with seven counts of arson. The attacks were committed for amusement, resulting in loss of a season's feed and bedding for farmers, with no serious injuries but potential for tragedy.

On March 4, 2023, in a home in Hastings, Marlena Meczynska-Shiibashi, 38, from Mount Pleasant Road, carried out a vicious unprovoked attack on a man she knew while he was trying to sleep. She grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him multiple times, including in the leg, and poured bleach into his eyes. When police arrived, she admitted, 'I didn’t just stab him in the leg you know, I poured bleach in his eyes.' The victim suffered severe trauma, including flashbacks, anxiety, and depression.

David Mould, 68, of Seaford, East Sussex, used the dark web under the username 'Globe Trotter' to share stories about sexually abusing children and offer advice to other paedophiles. He made trips to the Philippines and Nepal between April 2018 and May 2019 to sexually abuse and exploit children, targeting young boys in smaller cities and rural areas by offering gifts and money to groom them. Evidence from his digital equipment included chat logs, over 100,000 indecent images of children, and manuals on abusing children and avoiding detection. Three boys in the Philippines are now being safeguarded.

Charlie Pitcairn entered a house in Haslemere, on April 22, 2023, and repeatedly stabbed his victim five times in the thigh while he slept in an unprovoked and frenzied attack. The victim and suspect were known to each other. Pitcairn fled the scene, went on the run for two days triggering an extensive police search involving drones, search dogs, and the police helicopter, before handing himself in to police.

Over a 16-year period, Farzana Kausar subjected a vulnerable woman to physical, psychological, and financial abuse, forcing her to work as an unpaid domestic servant in Kausar's home, cooking, cleaning, and looking after her children. Kausar took full control of the victim's passport and finances, withdrew money from bank accounts opened in the victim's name, and made benefit claims on the victim's behalf which she kept for herself. In May 2019, Kausar was arrested by Sussex Police on suspicion of Modern Slavery offences and released on conditional bail. She then attempted to pervert the course of justice by forcing the victim to write a letter to the police asking for the charges to be withdrawn.

Ryan Selby was driving at speeds of up to 113mph in a 40mph zone on the A259 in Hastings, East Sussex, overtaking several vehicles before entering a white cross-hatched area and crashing into the victim, a pedestrian crossing the road. The incident occurred on March 9, 2021, in a residential area near two schools, resulting in the victim's death at the scene. Selby was estimated to be driving between 107mph and 113mph and did not brake, showing a complete disregard for road safety.

Monique Moss stole her friend’s keys and drove a stolen Ford Focus, crashing it into a bus stop in Crawley, West Sussex on July 2, 2022. She was filmed on dashcam abandoning the vehicle sideways in the road and walking away. She was already disqualified from driving and faced charges including dangerous driving, theft of a vehicle, driving while disqualified, being in charge of a vehicle in dangerous circumstances, failing to report a road traffic collision, and driving while uninsured.

Jennie Johnson lied under oath at Russell Bishop's original 1987 trial for the murders of the victims, providing false testimony that contributed to his acquittal. She was convicted in 2021 for perverting the course of justice and making a false statement, having claimed she was a vulnerable young mother in an abusive relationship with Bishop in the late 1980s.

Married teacher Jeremy Forrest, aged 31, abducted his 15-year-old pupil from Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and spent seven days on the run with her in France. The incident involved child abduction and five counts of sexual activity with a child.

James Green carried out a sustained campaign of harassment against a woman in her 30s, including damaging property, theft, and intimidating behaviour. He groomed a teenage relative, sending messages to manipulate and coerce her. In August 2023, he committed sexual offences against the teenager. While on bail, he continued inappropriate contact and sent numerous messages to the victim, attempting to influence her statements and exert control.

Gary Barney, 49, forced his way into a property in Peacehaven, on the afternoon of 3 July 2023. He carried out a vicious, sustained attack on a 78-year-old man inside, causing head and body injuries. A 45-year-old woman who tried to call police was also assaulted and suffered serious injuries. Barney was arrested minutes after the attack and subsequently charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

Geoffrey Lower, 76, of Stanmer Villas, Brighton, conducted a months-long campaign of stalking and harassment against three women aged between 24 and 51 from March to December 2025. He sent graphic messages, numerous voicemails, and made uninvited visits to their homes, despite clear rejections. The harassment caused serious fear and distress, leading one victim to change her working arrangements and work from home. Lower claimed he believed the women were interested in relationships with him. He was arrested and charged following a Sussex Police investigation.

Joao-Carlos Jardim Dos Santos Teixeira ran a number of online child abuse chat groups, sharing and discussing paedophile material online, including AI generated images.

Jean Dias, 44, was driving a Land Rover on the wrong side of the A21 at Vinehall Street near Robertsbridge on 24 January 2023, causing a head-on collision with a white Ford Fiesta. The victim, a 54-year-old man from Hastings, suffered life-changing injuries and continues to be unable to walk unaided more than a year later. Dias claimed a vehicle fault but an investigation found no defects, concluding that the most likely cause was distracted or reckless driving. He was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court.

Christopher John Roberts utilised proximity and manipulation to commit sexual violations against his targets. Following a protracted trial at Lewes Crown Court, he received a 13-year sentence as a high-risk sex offender. He died in custody in 2025 from advanced-stage cancer while serving the sentence at HMP Isle of Wight.

David James Clarke, 82, a former teacher at Newlands School in Seaford, East Sussex, was found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse against 14 former pupils. While running the school's photography club, he isolated boys in the dark room, starting with hugging and having them sit on his lap, then progressing to touching their genitals over and under clothing, mutual masturbation, oral sex, and buggery. He also made indecent images of children found on his computer.