Ronald Chapman, 76, of Fontwell Close, Rustington, sentenced in March to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, with a six month curfew order, was given confiscation order for £63,205 at Hove Crown Court on 6 May. Acting on intelligence, police searched his house in October last year and found a cannabis ‘factory’ in the loft, together with 50 large cannabis plants. Cash was also found and examination of his bank accounts helped show that, as he admitted, he had been growing cannabis for five years for dealers in the Littlehampton area.
The £63,205 must be paid within six months or he will serve a further 18 months and still have to pay.
This Order adds to the success by Sussex Police in securing, during financial year 2009 to 2010 alone, 179 court confiscation orders following convictions, valued at a highest ever annual total for Sussex of £2,388 million, plus 34 civil forfeiture orders valued at £178,405 following cash seizures from suspected offenders.
Detective Inspector Chris Neilson of the forces's Economic Crime Unit said “These are just some of the latest results of continuing hard work by our officers, and in particular our expert financial investigators. We now target not just the criminals but also the profits of their crimes, whether they be from drug dealing or any other form of criminal activity. It can take time and each investigation is subject to a court-authorised confiscation order, and criminals need to know that where we think they have profits, hidden thought they may be, we don’t give up after sentencing. Financial investigation is increasingly at the heart of all criminal investigation.”
Friday 21 May 2010
Friday 7 May 2010
Man pleads guilty to sexual activity
The trial of David Keen, aged 29, of Bognor, was due to start today at Lewes Crown Court when the defendant pleaded guilty to a further two matters relating to sexual assault on a teenage boy and sexual activity with a child under 16.
He also pleaded guilty to nine offences relating to sexual activity with a 13 year old boy from Australia.
Keen has now pleaded guilty to 28 matters in total. These range from possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children, to sexual activity with children under 16, and conspiracy to commit such offences. He was found in possession of more than 5,000 indecent images of children.
His co-defendant John Churchley, 59, of Littlehampton, has pleaded guilty to 15 offences. Churchley was in possession of more than 25,000 indecent images of children.
Sentencing of Keen has been adjourned for reports and the next hearing for both men will be on May 19. Sentencing of both men is expected to be on July 12.
Police, social services, education and other support agencies have been working closely on this investigation in order to provide support to the victims, most of whom eachother, and their families.
DI Jeff Riley, Major Crime Branch, who has led the investigation, said: "We are working with a number of partner agencies to support the children who came to notice during the investigation, as well as their families, and this support will be given to anyone else who may be coming forward.
"We are in possession of a small number of identifiable images of young men whom may be additional victims of David Keen. We encourage them to make contact even at this late stage. We can provide support to them and I ask them if they have been a victim of abuse in relation to this matter or any other to contact their parents, a professional they trust or Childline on 0800 11 11 for support and advice. Alternatively they can contact police direct on 0845 6070999 and quote Operation Addition."
He also pleaded guilty to nine offences relating to sexual activity with a 13 year old boy from Australia.
Keen has now pleaded guilty to 28 matters in total. These range from possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children, to sexual activity with children under 16, and conspiracy to commit such offences. He was found in possession of more than 5,000 indecent images of children.
His co-defendant John Churchley, 59, of Littlehampton, has pleaded guilty to 15 offences. Churchley was in possession of more than 25,000 indecent images of children.
Sentencing of Keen has been adjourned for reports and the next hearing for both men will be on May 19. Sentencing of both men is expected to be on July 12.
Police, social services, education and other support agencies have been working closely on this investigation in order to provide support to the victims, most of whom eachother, and their families.
DI Jeff Riley, Major Crime Branch, who has led the investigation, said: "We are working with a number of partner agencies to support the children who came to notice during the investigation, as well as their families, and this support will be given to anyone else who may be coming forward.
"We are in possession of a small number of identifiable images of young men whom may be additional victims of David Keen. We encourage them to make contact even at this late stage. We can provide support to them and I ask them if they have been a victim of abuse in relation to this matter or any other to contact their parents, a professional they trust or Childline on 0800 11 11 for support and advice. Alternatively they can contact police direct on 0845 6070999 and quote Operation Addition."
Tuesday 4 May 2010
Speedsters targeted across Europe
Sussex Police are taking part in a Europe-wide speed enforcement campaign, the results of which will be collated across the continent to inform further work on reducing those killed and seriously injured in speed-related collisions.
The campaign is led by TISPOL, an organisation established by traffic police forces across Europe in order to improve road safety and law enforcement. Annually, 40,000 die on the roads of Europe - that's 555 double-decker London buses, 96 jumbo jets or nearly half the capacity of Wembley Stadium. Many thousands more suffer permanent, life-changing injuries.
In the 12 months to March 30 this year, Operation Crackdown, which provides an opportunity for members of the public to report speeding and anti-social driving behaviour, received 1608 speed complaints from across Sussex. .
Sgt Huw Watts, from Sussex Police Road Policing Unit, said: "Speed enforcement is an on-going activity across the Force area and by working closely with TISPOL we hope that we can spread speed awareness more widely and reduce the number of those killed and seriously injured, whether they are on Sussex roads or driving further afield.
"Too many people are being killed on the roads simply because they are driving too fast. We want drivers to realise that excessive speed is as dangerous as drink-driving and to understand that by sticking to the legal speed limits of the roads, unnecessary deaths can be prevented."
Neil Hopkins, communications manager for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership added: "Everyone who drives on our roads has a responsibility to be safe, for the sake of themselves and others.
"Inappropriate or excessive speed is of concern across Sussex, and local residents can help us to make the roads safer by reporting drivers flouting the speed limits through Operation Crackdown. The theory behind Operation Crackdown is simple. Don’t tolerate it, report it. By working with Sussex Police on this important campaign we can help to make our roads safer. Concerns about anti-social driving can be reported on 01243 642222 or at www.operationcrackdown.org
"All the locations of speed cameras in Sussex are available on the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership website, www.sussexsaferroads.gov.uk. The cameras aren’t there to make money, they’re there to reduce casualties."
The campaign is led by TISPOL, an organisation established by traffic police forces across Europe in order to improve road safety and law enforcement. Annually, 40,000 die on the roads of Europe - that's 555 double-decker London buses, 96 jumbo jets or nearly half the capacity of Wembley Stadium. Many thousands more suffer permanent, life-changing injuries.
In the 12 months to March 30 this year, Operation Crackdown, which provides an opportunity for members of the public to report speeding and anti-social driving behaviour, received 1608 speed complaints from across Sussex. .
Sgt Huw Watts, from Sussex Police Road Policing Unit, said: "Speed enforcement is an on-going activity across the Force area and by working closely with TISPOL we hope that we can spread speed awareness more widely and reduce the number of those killed and seriously injured, whether they are on Sussex roads or driving further afield.
"Too many people are being killed on the roads simply because they are driving too fast. We want drivers to realise that excessive speed is as dangerous as drink-driving and to understand that by sticking to the legal speed limits of the roads, unnecessary deaths can be prevented."
Neil Hopkins, communications manager for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership added: "Everyone who drives on our roads has a responsibility to be safe, for the sake of themselves and others.
"Inappropriate or excessive speed is of concern across Sussex, and local residents can help us to make the roads safer by reporting drivers flouting the speed limits through Operation Crackdown. The theory behind Operation Crackdown is simple. Don’t tolerate it, report it. By working with Sussex Police on this important campaign we can help to make our roads safer. Concerns about anti-social driving can be reported on 01243 642222 or at www.operationcrackdown.org
"All the locations of speed cameras in Sussex are available on the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership website, www.sussexsaferroads.gov.uk. The cameras aren’t there to make money, they’re there to reduce casualties."
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