A police dog tracked down a domestic abuser after he drunkenly attacked a woman in Peacehaven.
Connor Graves, 26, of Dana Lodge, in Central Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, scarpered across fields having assaulted Sophie Kelly, in Pelham Rise, Peacehaven.
Graves had cut himself while stabbing the tyres of a car. He then went to Miss Kelly’s home where he sprayed blood from his wound around her kitchen and snatched her phone. He also attacked her.
Brighton magistrates were told that police were called at about 8.40pm on Monday 11 October last year after a man was seen bleeding.
Officers established that he was a suspect in a domestic abuse incident and he was seen running from police across fields in Peacehaven.
Sussex Police said: “When they arrived, they were unsure of the exact route taken by the suspect but a flicker of light had earlier been seen in a field near by.
“So Police Dog Hoxton, a two-year-old German shepherd handled by PC Gareth Evers, was brought in to help locate him.”
PC Evers said: “I was well briefed by the officers on scene and, although the exact route taken by the suspect was unknown, a flicker of light was seen about 200 metres into the field where it was believed the suspect had lit a cigarette among bushes.
“I kept PD Hoxton deployed on a lead because the search area was far too great and progress through a ploughed field was slow.
“Hox began to track naturally and took me through to a small clearing in the bushes, over a barbed wire fence and into a neighbouring field.
“He then indicated to me where the suspect was. It was pitch black but we found a suspect sitting in high grass.”
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court, Graves pleaded guilty to assault by beating, theft and two counts of causing criminal damage.
Jonathan Karani, prosecuting, told magistrates that Graves had assaulted Miss Kelly and stolen her mobile phone which was worth £300.
Mr Karani said that Graves caused criminal damage to Miss Kelly’s flat in Swallow Close, Peacehaven, by swinging his right hand around, deliberately spraying blood all over the kitchen units and walls. Graves also stained the carpets.
And in nearby Cinque Foil, Peacehaven, the court was told that Graves had “destroyed both front and rear nearside tyres of a Ford Focus … belonging to Marcus Rawlins” by stabbing them.
The magistrates sentenced Graves to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to complete a mental health treatment programme within a year and 20 attend rehabilitation sessions.
The bench also fined Graves £80 for criminal damage when he was sentenced on Wednesday 16 March.
And he was ordered to pay £226.80 compensation to Mr Rawlins and £500 to Miss Kelly, making £806.80 in total.
After the case, PC Luke Williams said: “Graves caused the victim great distress during a frightening incident.
“He had seen her trying to call a neighbour for help and told her ‘don’t get me arrested’ before he left the address.
“This case demonstrates that we take reports of domestic abuse seriously and we responded swiftly to track down a violent offender with the help of PC Evers and PD Hoxton.”
Sussex Police said: “Violence against women and girls is widespread and everyone has a role to play to prevent it from happening.
“We need people, specifically men, to
- Challenge their own behaviours and recognise the impact this has on the victim and others, eg, children in the household
- Challenge others’ behaviours
- Recognise that violence against women and girls can manifest through other ways such as misogyny
- Reflect on their thoughts and attitude if a female loved one/family member was subjected to such behaviour”
