Magistrates Court results

July 21:

Matthew Clarke, aged 32, of no fixed address, was found guilty of assault by beating. The offence took place at Terminus Road, Eastbourne, on May 28. He pleaded guilty to breaking into Local Fuels petrol station at Trinity Place, Eastbourne, on June 17, and stealing 41 packets of cigarettes, 24 pouches of tobacco, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a bottle of Smirnoff vodka, worth £845. He admitted to failing to comply with a supervision order imposed after release from prison. He was sentenced to a total of 26 weeks in prison. Magistrates said the reason for the custodial sentence was injury caused by kicking his victim when he was down and because of previous history of persistent offences.

July 24:

Thomas Powell, 22, of Larkspur Drive, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to sending Facebook messages and a photo with the intent of causing distress or anxiety. The court made a community order with a requirement of 200 hours of unpaid work. Magistrates also issued a restraining order and ordered him to pay £600 in prosecution costs.

July 25:

Roy Walters, 83, of Acorn Green, Hailsham, was found guilty of assault by beating. The offence took place at Hailsham on April 28. He was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 compensation and £620 in prosecution costs.

July 26:

Keiran Keyte, 35, of Crowthorne, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm. The offence took place at Hailsham on October 13 last year. He was sentenced to six months in prison. Magistrates said the reason for the custodial sentence was that the assault was so serious.

July 27:

Timothy Lavender, 34, of Hamsey Close, Eastbourne, was found guilty of assaulting a police officer. The offence took place at Pevensey Road, Eastbourne, on May 13. He was given a one year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 in prosecution costs.

Jason Gillett, 37, of Gournay Road, Hailsham, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman by beating her and to using threatening behaviour. The offences took place at Hailsham High Street on April 19. He also pleaded guilty to four charges of assaulting police officers at Hailsham on the same date. He admitted being in breach of a suspended sentence, made by an earlier court for threatening behaviour. He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Magistrates said the reason for the sentence was for being in breach of a suspended sentence and for continually spitting at police officers and making threats to them and their families. They also made a community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement and ordered him to pay a total of £400 compensation.