Please see this months round up of local news , and crime prevention advice.
Former primary school teacher convicted for sexual assault of two children
A former primary school teacher has been convicted of sexual assault by touching and false imprisonment of two children.
Joseph Haffenden, 32, was due to stand trial accused of six counts of sexual assault by touching and six counts of false imprisonment.
Police received a report on 12 February relating to two nine-year-old boys who had been sexually assaulted between January and February this year.
At Lewes Crown Court on Monday 20 July, Haffenden, formerly of High Street, Lindfield, admitted the charges.
Both boys provided similar accounts of a what Haffenden labelled a ‘game’ whereby the victims were tickled under their clothing by Haffenden with his hands, a feather, and an electric toothbrush.
The offences were disclosed to adults who reported it to Sussex Police.
Haffenden was arrested and the victims and their families were supported by specialist officers.
Officers searched Haffenden’s property and found a number of items suggesting an interest in children and evidence which supported the victims’ accounts.
Haffenden was suspended from a teaching role and has subsequently been dismissed.
Detective Sergeant Ellen Jones said: “I am grateful for both young victims in this investigation for reporting Haffenden’s disturbing crimes and bringing him to our attention.
“We were able to act swiftly and bring him into custody, while working with our partners and the school to ensure there were no wider safeguarding risks.
“I would urge any other victims of sexual offending, no matter how long ago, to report to Sussex Police online or via 101, so we can investigate, support you and seek the justice you deserve.”
Haffenden was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing on 3 September.
Sussex Police achieves highest grade in new Policing Performance System
Following the launch of a new national Policing Performance System, Sussex Police has been assigned to the highest grading available today, Thursday 16 July.
Performance levels have been decided by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) with Sussex Police achieving Level One, based upon a wide range of data and evidence, including HMICFRS inspection findings, analysis of performance data and wider contextual information from partner agencies.
This announcement comes as every police force in England and Wales has been assigned a performance level by the policing inspectorate for the first time, as part of a drive to support improvements across policing and increase public confidence and accountability.
These range from Level One – the default level – to Level Four (Special Measures) for the most significant performance issues and forces will now be able to access support and intervention earlier, helping to make communities safer.
Announced in the Police Reform White Paper, the new system will also see forces made accountable to the Home Secretary for performance. Ministers and the Inspectorate will also have new powers to intervene directly in failing forces.
Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: "This result places Sussex Police in the top tier of forces nationally and follows continuous improvement the force has made in a number of areas.
"I am pleased the hard work and commitment our teams have shown in making improvements has been reflected in the level to which we have been assigned, and we will continue in our work to protect communities, catch criminals and deliver an outstanding service to all."
Sussex Police tops national 999 response times
Image of awards 999 calls
Every second counts when it comes to catching criminals and savings lives.
For the eleventh month in a row, Sussex Police is proud to have had the quickest response to 999 calls of any emergency service in the country.
And now that hard work has been recognised when Sussex Police won the Force Control Room Team of the Year Award at The National Control Room Awards ceremony on Thursday. (July 9)
The awards cover the whole of the UK and include fire and ambulance control rooms, in addition to police forces.
The Team of the Year Award recognises “team spirit in the control room, team working in planning and executing service strategies, first-class collaboration and performance, demonstrated by outstanding results and outcomes for the people they’re serving in the community.”
Sussex Police won for “delivering an exceptional service to the people of Sussex, setting the national benchmark for emergency call handling.
“Driven by a shared commitment to protecting communities, they have significantly reduced response times to high risk incidents while improving both emergency and non-emergency services.
Having your car broken into and losing your things to thieves can be very distressing. Here are a few simple steps you can take to keep your vehicle, and what’s in it, safe.
We are reminding residents to ensure when you are leaving your home/outbuildings unattended that you keep all windows/doors closed.
It’s so tempting to leave a window open especially during warmer weather periods,
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of burglary and enhance the security of your home.
Always lock your doors,
Keep windows closed
Consider installing a burglar alarm or CCTV system to provide an additional layer of security.
For further advice in keeping your home and outbuilding is secure, visit our web page here
With many events planned up and down the country during the Summer months, we will be sharing the advice of Counter Terrorism Policing’s Summer campaign, which is aimed at encouraging the public to stay alert while they enjoy a summer full of exciting events with family and friends.
Educational establishments, businesses and licenced venues can also find out more and look to complete an award-winning ACT Awareness E-Learning online by visiting: https://orlo.uk/bl30q
The Summer months will see millions of people across the UK enjoying themselves at major events such as music festivals, sporting events, bank holidays and Pride.
Unfortunately, we know that these events and venues could be attractive targets for terrorist activity; that’s why we are collaborating with event organisers and businesses across the UK to help keep the public safe.
We all have a part to play in keeping each other safe; if you're out and about enjoying one of the many events Summer has to offer, and you see or hear something that doesn't seem right, trust your instincts and report it at the time to event staff, stewards, security or the Police at the time.
• Access advice, news, and resources to help you stay safe You can find the 'Your area' page on our website here
Reporting Crime
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If it's not an emergency, the easiest way to contact us is online. Your report will be sent direct to our control room where it will be reviewed by the same team who answer our calls.Contact us | Sussex Police
