Police raid Brighton squat after man found with head and ear injuries

Police raided a squat in the centre of Brighton after a man was found injured in the street this morning (Wednesday 23 April).

The emergency services were called at about 8.55am when a member of the public saw a man walking along Duke Street, Brighton, with injuries to his head and an ear.

After he was found at the bottom of North Street, officers from Sussex Police closed Duke Street while officers raided a squat there about an hour later.

They were pictured carrying riot shields but Sussex Police said that they were not needed during the raid at the old Choccywoccydoodah shop. The chocolate shop recently moved to nearby Meeting House Lane.

Sussex Police said that four men and a woman were arrested, all on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH).

One member of the public, using the Twitter account @jordannstweet, posted a picture of the raid on the social media website.

A police spokesman said: “At 8.55am on Wednesday 23 April a member of the public saw a man walking along Duke Street, Brighton, with an apparent head injury.

“Police located the man at the bottom of North Street and he appeared to have a serious injury to his ear and bruising to his head.

“Officers then went to a squat in the former Choccywoccydoodah shop in Duke Street where they arrested four men – two aged 27, one aged 18 and one aged 47 – and a woman aged 24, all on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

“One of the 27-year-old men was also arrested on suspicion of assault on police and possession of cannabis.

“Squatters were leaving the premises as police arrived. There are no reports of other injuries. The investigation is at an early stage.

“The injured man was treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

“Police officers with shields were outside the address in case they were needed, but the shields did not have to be deployed.”

Sergeant Dave Bennett, of the Regency Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We want to thank the local businesses and public for their assistance in the short time that we had to cordon off the immediate area for everyone’s safety.

“The incident was resolved quickly at the address and the property is now back in the hands of the owners.”