Police Enquire into potential assault on women from Bexhill-on-Sea
Police are investigating a potential assault on a 49 year-old woman from Bexhill-on-Sea. The woman was found with serious facial injuries on the Upper Sea Road, Bexhill, before being taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital by ambulance for treatment. Police believe the injuries were suspicious and are treating the incident as a potential attack. The woman who was walking home from Hastings at around 10pm on Monday, 11 July may well have been attacked on her route home.
Police are urging local businesses with external cameras as well as motorists with dash cams to check footage as the route is well-lit and on main roads meaning there is a distinct possibility somebody or something would have seen something. The woman is very distressed as she is still none-the-wiser as to how she sustained her injuries and any possible information would be warmly welcomed. The woman was wearing her hair in a ponytail and could have been carrying a bag branded ‘Sports Direct’.
Life imprisonment for man charged with sexual offences
Marcus Hannon from Hastings has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a string of sexual offences against four young girls. Hannon, 35, was one of three people sentenced on Friday (15 July) over the systematic sexual abuse of a 13-year old minor.
Hannon was also prosecuted for sexual assaults on three other young girls. Dylan Quantrill, 20 as well as another woman who cannot be named for legal reasons was convicted in May for a series of similar offences.
Hannon during his sentencing was described by the Judge as “using his cunning and manipulative skills to prey on lonely and vulnerable young women, relentlessly moving on and repeating his destructive behaviour.” He was also described as a serious danger to other young girls.
Quantrill and Hannon were both convicted for four counts of rape against the girl with the woman being prosecuted for three counts of child cruelty, as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice by trying to force a school friend of the victim to alter her statement.
Detective Inspector Ben Newman of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit revealed how the group had used guest houses and derelict Holiday parks to rape the victim often in threesomes. He also revealed how the prosecution was made easier by the seizure of a number of items including sex toys and the young girl’s underwear which was found containing forensic traces attributable to both men.
The case which was described by Detective Chief Inspector Ali Eaton as; “an appalling case in which three adults subjected a vulnerable young girl to sexual and physical abuse over several weeks. Hannon had also over many years targeted teenage girls, leaving them with lasting trauma from sexual abuse.
The proceedings also allowed Hannon to be tried and successfully prosecuted last month for further historic sex attacks on three others young girls from Sussex and Manchester.
Hannon will now serve life imprisonment with a minimum of tariff ten years whilst Quantrill has been sentenced to a total of nine years imprisonment with an extended licence supervision period of five years, the woman was also sentenced to a total of five years.
Advice and support about reporting and preventing child sex abuse and exploitation is available at –
http://www.sussex.police.uk/advice/protect-yourself-and-others/child-protection/child-sexual-exploitation-cse/cse-advice-for-parents-and-carers/
http://www.sussex.police.uk/advice/protect-yourself-and-others/child-protection/child-sexual-exploitation-cse/
Thousands stolen in commercial building raid
Police are gathering information as tools and equipment believed to be worth in the region of £5000 were stolen from a commercial building in Eastbourne. Sussex Police are appealing for witnesses after it was believed the premises located in Beachy Head Road were broken into some time between 4.30pm on Tuesday, 5 July and 7am Wednesday, 6 July.
Winches, power breakers and grinders are believed to have been amongst the items stolen.
PC James Gardner said: “We believe a vehicle must have been used to transport some of the heavy tools and would urge anyone who saw something suspicious in the area to get in touch.
Anyone with information is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or phone 101, quoting serial 655 of 13/07 for the Bexhill-on-Sea Assault. Or 265 of 06/07 for the commercial building raid.
Alternatively they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).
