Three men sentenced for grievous assault on Haywards Heath boy

Three men have been sentenced for their roles in a grievous assault on a boy who was knocked off his bicycle by a car.

The boy was knocked through a garden fence and street sign, and was then further assaulted including being stabbed as he lay injured on the ground in Haywards Heath.

The incident left the victim, a boy in his teens, with life-changing injuries.

Jack Ancell, 24, Charlie Clark, 24, and Aiden Barber, 22, were involved in the incident where the victim was driven into then further assaulted the boy on the ground, including stabbing him.

The group then fled after they were challenged by the public.

Police launched an extensive investigation to trace the Vauxhall Corsa driver and passengers, and the three men were identified and arrested in the days following the assault.

They were charged with causing grievous bodily harm and with possession with a bladed article in public, and admitted the offences in court.

At Lewes Crown Court on 13 April, Ancell, Clark and Barber were sentenced.

The court was told how the incident happened at about 5.40pm on 28 July last year at Sydney Road in Haywards Heath.

Upon seeing the victim, the driver deliberately drove at the cyclist and rammed the boy through a garden fence. The boy was then further assaulted by the three men.

Ancell, of no fixed address, was jailed for seven years, and was given an extended three year period on licence due to dangerousness.

This means that he will not be automatically released half way through his sentence, but must instead serve two thirds of the prison time before he can be considered for parole. If he is released, he will remain on licence to serve the remainder of his sentence for the additional three years, making a ten year sentence in total.

Clark, of Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, was jailed for seven years.

Barber, of Sycamore Drive, Burgess Hill, was jailed for six years and three months.

The court did not deliver a verdict on who was driving the car at the time of the incident. 

Speaking after the case, Mid Sussex district commander Chief Inspector Steve Turner said: “We understand the concerns that this incident caused within the community in Haywards Heath last summer.

“Officers carried out extensive enquiries to locate the three men involved, and I would like to thank the public for the overwhelming support they showed for our investigation to ensure we were able to obtain these convictions in court.

“The violence shown by Ancell, Clark and Barber was appalling and there is simply no excuse for the violence they inflicted on the victim.

“By using a vehicle as a weapon they put the life of the victim in danger, as well as other road users in the area. They then continued by stabbing and seriously assaulting the seriously injured victim on the ground in a cowardly attack.

“They are now learning the consequences and will be serving significant custodial sentences.

“We continue to encourage residents who are concerned about crime to report incidents to Sussex Police online or by calling 101. In an emergency, always call 999.”

A woman, now aged 20, who was previously arrested in connection with the incident was ruled out of enquiries and faces no further police action.