Residents evacuated as police siege closes Brighton road

UPDATE at 11.50pm: A siege has ended after Sussex Police officers brought a man out in handcuffs from a property in Evelyn Terrace, near Queen’s Park, in Brighton, 10 minutes before midnight this evening (Tom Rush writes).

Neighbouring families who were evacuated have been allowed to return to their homes. Gas engineers have checked that the property where the three-and-a-half-hour siege took place is safe.

Police said that the man “came out of the house at 11.45pm and (was) arrested without violence or injury” and added: “A young woman did leave the address of her own accord about 8.45pm – no suggestion at this time that she had been held against her will.”

By Jo Wadsworth and Tom Rush

A quiet Brighton road has been closed by police and residents have been evacuated tonight after a man threatened to harm both himself and police if officers approached.

The full details of what has been unfolding in Evelyn Terrace are unclear as yet, but unconfirmed reports suggest police fear a gun may be involved.

The road has been closed for more than an hour and residents not yet evacuated have been told to stay indoors and keep their windows shut.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “At 8.20pm on Monday (16 May) police went to an address in Evelyn Terrace, Brighton, where there were concerns for the welfare of a man living there.

“The man, who was alone in the property, refused to allow officers to approach and threatened to self-harm, and to harm the officers if they did approach.

“The premises were surrounded and several nearby addresses (initially four) were evacuated, to help ensure that there was no danger to the nearby public.

“Police have contained the situation in order to achieve a peaceful outcome without anybody being harmed.”

Several police cars, firearms officers and the dog unit are currently on the scene. A fire service car and a gas company van are also on hand. There is no confirmation at this stage of what weapons, if any, are in the house.

One bystander, who has been watching events unfold this evening, said a young woman was led out of the house at about 9pm, just after the second half of the Albion game started.

He said: “We saw a young lady led out to a police van. They then cordoned off the road.

“One chap couldn’t get home to his kid, who was led out by cops to go to his mum’s… they lived over the road.”

A resident of nearby flats said that he had been shouted at by police to get inside as he took the rubbish out earlier this evening.

Some of those who have been evacuated have been taking shelter in the Round George’s pub at the bottom of Evelyn Terrace.

More as we get it.