Brighton man jailed for petrol bomb threats and officer assaults

A teenager who made violent threats towards two women, including threatening to petrol bomb their homes, has been jailed.

Zaine Reid, 18, of Sussex Terrace in Brighton, also assaulted two police officers as they arrested him in December last year.

Between 6 December and 27 December, 2022, Reid sent text messages to two 18-year-old women threatening to kill them, pay people to harm them and to petrol bomb their homes.

Officers visited Reid’s address on 27 December, when he resisted arrest and assaulted two officers.

He was charged with two counts of malicious communications, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, one count of harassment with fear of violence and one count of causing actual bodily harm.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 24 February, Reid was found guilty of both counts of assaulting an emergency worker and pleaded guilty to both counts of malicious communications and harassment.

He was found not guilty of causing actual bodily harm.

On Friday (10 March), Reid was sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 24 months, for the malicious communications and harassment charges, and four weeks in prison for assaulting emergency workers.

He was also given a three-year restraining order.

PC Philip Peck said: “Zaine Reid subjected these young women to terrifying threats, leaving them fearing for their safety.

“Two police officers who attempted to take Reid into custody were also assaulted while trying to carry out their duties.

“I would like to thank these two brave women for supporting the investigation through to its conclusion.”