Image source, Hampshire Police

An escaped prisoner who tried to evade police by driving down the wrong way of a busy motorway has been jailed for two years.

Darryl Dempsey, 23, from Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Southampton Crown Court.

He also pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody, driving while disqualified and criminal damage.

The court was told Dempsey had been wanted by police after absconding from Ford prison in West Sussex on 3 July.

Police footage shows Dempsey driving across fields, driving on footpaths and even attempting to drive down the wrong way of the M3.

Officers hit the 4X4, which overturned, ending the 13-minute pursuit in Chilworth shortly before 22:30.

Stuart Maisner
BBC Live reporter

Watch the dramatic moment an escaped prisoner from Eastbourne, external drove the wrong way down a busy motorway evading the police.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

How people in Ashford rallied to help a toddler with a rare and dangerous condition.

Image source, Getty Images

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Mid Sussex Times, external: Some operations cancelled at 'extremely busy' hospital

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The Argus, external: Violent crime figures double in county

Chichester Observer, external: Vet warns over rat poison sandwiches left in Goodwood dog walking spot

Brighton and Hove News, external: Beach hut owners face massive fees hike

Sue Nicholson
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Hopes of averting a strike on the Southern rail network next week have collapsed, leaving the long-running dispute over the role of guards deadlocked.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are set to walk out for 24 hours on Monday.

RMT members at four other train operating companies across the country will also walk out next Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The union's dispute with Southern began in April 2016.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said proposed talks with Southern had "collapsed".

A spokesman for Govia Thameslink Railway, Southern's parent company, said: "We have consistently said that we will not meet the RMT while they are planning strike action."

Paul McClelland sued Sussex Police for damages after he was Tasered while being arrested.

Paul McClelland argued officers had used excessive force when arresting him in a Brighton car park.

Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter

Image source, Kent Police

Officers investigating an alleged sexual assault on a teenage boy have released CCTV images of a man who might be able to help with their enquiries.The incident took place at 16:30 GMT on Saturday 2 December 2017.

It was on the 10X Stagecoach bus service between Lenham and Ashford Railway Station.

Yasmine Djadoudi
BBC Live reporter

A Brighton man who attempted to sue Sussex Police for excessive use of force after he was shot with a taser in 2013, has had his case dismissed.

Sue Nicholson
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

There has been a sharp increase in the number of patients in Kent facing delays when they arrive at hospital A&E departments in ambulances.

Figures from NHS England show that in the week to New Year's Eve more than 1,100 waited over 30 minutes outside hospitals.

It is a third more than in the week leading up to Christmas, when 829 people were kept waiting.

Nationally, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust was the fourth highest, with 43% of ambulance handovers delayed between 25-31 December.

Delays happen when A&E staff are not available for paramedics to hand over patients to, with the figures illustrating the pressure the NHS is under.

The data also showed that a record number of calls were made to NHS 111, the free helpline which was set up in 2014.

There were 480,000 calls made to the advice line in the last week of December in England - a 21% rise on the previous week.

Six other youths face no further action over the death of a 17-year-old in a Gillingham street.

Experts say young men are increasingly turning steroids in what could be a "hidden epidemic".

Yasmine Djadoudi
BBC Live reporter

Scores of homeowners in Sussex say they’ve been left hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket after a construction firm went bust.

How free cookery classes are helping people make cheap but nutritious meals.

A new scanning technique is helping researchers unearth secret messages hidden in mummy cases.

Kathryn Langley
BBC Live reporter

Kent's police and crime commissioner wants action on people illegally selling steroids.

Matthew Scott made the call after a BBC South East investigation found boys as young as 14 were now using the drugs.

Homeowners say their houses have been left in a state of disrepair after DMB Solutions collapsed.

Two men are wanted for alleged conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of stun guns in Brighton and Hove.

Orges Dema and Olsi Fizzlaj, both 20, were arrested in the city in December 2016.

They were then released on bail pending further enquiries but failed to answer to their bail in February 2017.

Dema was last known to have been living in Regency Square in Brighton and Fizzlaj in Hangleton Way in Hove.

Sussex Police are asking anyone with any information of their whereabouts to contact them.

Image source, Sussex Police

Image source, Surrey Police

Surrey Police say they're increasingly worried about a vulnerable woman who disappeared from home nearly two weeks ago.

Margaret Rule from Farnham was last seen at the town's train station on 21 December.

Officers say the 54-year-old tends to wear the same clothes and was last seen wearing a beige skirt, brown patterned tights, beige shoes, a dark coat and a distinctive purple hat.

She has links to Brighton and the south coast.

Nina Ridge
BBC Weather

It has been a soggy start to the year, and there's more rain on the way.