Sussex PCC candidates address violent crime response

Voters go to the polls to choose their new police and crime commissioners on 2 May

The four candidates standing to be Sussex’s next police and crime commissioner (PCC) have given their views after a mother called Sussex Police’s response to a violent assault on her teenage sons “woeful”.

Jo Docherty from St Leonards said her son and stepson were attacked by a gang as they walked behind the White Rock Theatre in Hastings on Sunday.

She rang 999 but when she said her sons were on their way to A&E with their father, she was asked to redial 101 to report the crime.

Sussex Police said it was investigating the attack.

The attack has left one victim with a perforated eardrum, the other with extensive bruising, and both psychologically traumatised.

Ms Docherty said she felt let down that no immediate response was sent.

She said: “To me that felt like a failure in the police’s part because the perpetrators of the assault were still very much in the area. They could have been arrested there and then, the police station is literally a minute from where the assault happened.”

Paul Richards (l) and Jonathan Kent (r) are the Labour and Green candidates

Paul Richards, Labour’s PCC candidate, said: “I want foot patrols all the time so that when an incident like this happens they can respond swiftly, just like they used to when we had bobbies on the beat.”

Liberal Democrat Jamie Bennett said: “Kids are being attacked and you’re told it’s not an emergency, don’t phone 999, we haven’t got the resources to do it basically. We don’t have the numbers of not just PCs but PSCOs to actually respond to things.”

Jamie Bennett (l) and Katy Bourne (r) are the Liberal Democrat and Conservative candidates

Green Party candidate Jonathan Kent said: “I would be utterly incandescent if it was my child and I got that response. When I met the chief constable and her deputy I asked them for a statement of values. It’s not just what they do, it’s how they think about the job, how they go about it, and they could not give me a basic statement of the values that underpin policing in Sussex.”

Sussex’s current PCC, Conservative Katy Bourne, who’s standing for re-election, said she felt “upset” for Ms Docherty and had contacted Chief Constable Jo Shiner about the incident.

She said: “I’ve asked her very swiftly to look into this and to understand the response. My disappointment is that she hasn’t been kept informed.

"So rest assured to Jo [Docherty] and the family, my job is to be her voice in policing. I will be looking into this and the chief constable will come back to her personally.”

The attack happened near the White Rock Theatre in Hastings

In a statement Sussex Police said officers are investigating and have carried out CCTV and house-to-house inquiries in the area. They’re appealing for witnesses.

Voters across Sussex will go to the polls on Thursday 2 May to vote for their PCC alongside local elections.

You can hear our full BBC Sussex live debate here.

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