Prolific offender sentenced over dangerous driving incidents

A teenage driver who rammed a police vehicle before leading police on a high-speed pursuit has been sentenced.

Arthur Greenslade was charged with multiple offences across Sussex, which have included incidents of dangerous driving, possession of a bladed article,  and aggravated vehicle taking.

The 18-year-old appeared before Lewes Crown Court on August 11, where he was sentenced to ten months of detention in a young offenders’ institution.

It follows incidents where he put the safety of the public, police officers, and his own safety at risk.

The court was told how Greenslade, of no fixed address, had caused concern for residents in Beachcroft Place, Lancing, on October 18 last year.

A PCSO attended the scene in a police vehicle.

Footage shows Greenslade driving a yellow Peugeot and deliberately reversing and ramming the police vehicle before leaving the area.

Fortunately the PCSO was not harmed.

Greenslade was spotted driving on the A264 towards Horsham, where he failed to stop for police.

Footage then shows him driving into oncoming traffic at excess speed, as well as through red lights and the wrong way around a roundabout.

Specialist officers from Sussex Police’s Roads Policing Unit (RPU), Tactical Firearms Unit (TFU), and Dogs Unit worked together to bring the vehicle safely to a stop at about 2am on October 19 last year on the A259, Brighton Road, Shoreham.

Adur and Worthing District Commander Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter said: “This incident shows some of the challenges faced by our officers and PCSOs on a daily basis.

“The suspect vehicle was identified, and officers in the area from different units demonstrated great teamwork.

"They acted swiftly to bring the suspect vehicle safely to a stop and prevent it from posing a risk of harm to other road users. The officers then detained those inside the vehicle.”

Greenslade was stopped in Adastra Park in Hassocks after decamping from a vehicle on February 11 this year. When stopped he was found in possession of a knife.

Then on May 9 this year, the Co-op reported a shop theft at a store in Old London Road, Brighton.

Thanks to this information, officers from the Roads Policing Unit were able to identify a suspect vehicle a short while later in Lewes Road, Brighton.

The vehicle drove away from officers at high speed and through a red light.

Later, officers from our Tactical Firearms Unit joined RPU colleagues on the M23, where the vehicle continued to drive erratically, swerving across lanes of busy traffic,

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter was called provide help, before Greenslade drove into a slip road near Kings Cross Lane near Reigate and fled from the vehicle into surrounding fields.

Four occupants including Greenslade were pursued across fields and arrested.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton, head of roads policing for Surrey and Sussex Police, said: “Our RPU officers identified a vehicle which had been involved in an offence 30 minutes earlier.

“Officers from the RPU and from our Tactical Firearms Units at both Lewes and Gatwick were able to detain the four suspects.

“Once again, our officers showed great teamwork and professionalism to safely stop the vehicle before any harm was caused to the occupants or to other road users.”

Greenslade was also carried as a passenger on June 1, 2022 where the vehicle reversed into another vehicle and caused damage. He was also sentenced for an affray on March 31, 2023 in Orpington.

In all, the teenager admitted two counts of possessing a bladed article in a public place, two counts of dangerous driving, one count of affray, one count of aggravated vehicle taking, and one count of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Before the hearing, it was noted that Greenslade had 11 previous convictions for 34 offences.