A drug dealer has been jailed after he threatened two people with a machete, swinging the weapon at them in a Brighton street in broad daylight.
Theo Van Der Vlugt, 21, of Washington Street, Brighton, was jailed for four years and two months by Judge Stephen Mooney at Lewes Crown Court.
Van Der Vlugt admitted threatening both men, Logan Horrocks and Terrell Pettitt-De Boeck, with a machete in Dyke Road, Brighton, on Monday 7 April.
Sussex Police said that the incident “could very easily have ended in tragedy”
Van Der Vlugt was on bail at the time, having being arrested in January on suspicion of having class A drugs – heroin and crack cocaine – with intent to supply.
Sussex Police said: “While on bail, Van Der Vlugt was involved in a violent incident in Dyke Road, Brighton.
“Armed with a machete, he approached two men and began swinging the weapon at them, narrowly avoiding causing serious injury.
“The incident was reported to police and a search of the area was carried out but Van Der Vlugt had already fled the scene.
“An investigation was launched and officers quickly identified a suspect. Van Der Vlugt was arrested four days later at his home address where he was also found in possession of class A and class B drugs.”
The court was told that Van Der Vlugt had admitted drugs and drug-related offences on four occasions in the past two years.
The earliest offences dated back to Thursday 21 September 2023 when he was found to have drugs and almost £2,300 in cash at his Washington Street home.
Van Der Vlugt pleaded guilty to having cocaine and ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis – all with intent to supply – and to having criminal property, the cash proceeds of his drug dealing.
He pleaded guilty to having cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply at the same Hanover property on Wednesday 20 December 2023 as well as criminal property – almost £1,100 cash.
He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and diamorphine, or heroin, also in Washington Street, on Friday 17 January.
And he admitted threatening two men with a machete in Dyke Road, Brighton, on Monday 7 April.
Finally, he pleaded guilty to having cocaine and cannabis at his home, in Hanover, on Friday 11 April.
Van Der Vlugt was charged on Saturday 12 April with threatening two men with the machete as well as half a dozen drug-related offences.
This time he was kept in custody and produced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday 14 April when District Judge Tessa Szagun committed him to the crown court for sentence.
He appeared before Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove, at Hove Crown Cout on Friday 2 May.
And on Wednesday 14 May, he appeared at Lewes Crown Court before Judge Stephen Mooney when the final guilty pleas were entered. Judge Mooney sentenced Van Der Vlugt the next day.
Investigating officer PC Annie Lees said: “This was a complex investigation involving a violent knife incident that could very easily have ended in tragedy.
“As well as this, Van Der Vlugt was also operating a drugs line into Brighton, causing significant harm to our communities.
“As this case concludes, we’ve not only removed a dangerous offender from the streets but also disrupted part of the criminal network he was fuelling.
“We would also like to thank everyone who supported the investigation, providing the key information that assisted us in reaching this outcome.”
Another piece of rubbish wandering the streets with a weapon. If he’d been kept in custody after his original arrest, he wouldn’t have been free to commit another crime.
While I agree it’s deeply worrying that this man went on to commit violence while on bail, we have to remember courts work within the constraints of the law.
At the time, he was charged with intent to supply, not violence. Judges are often required to grant bail. That said, this case shows why we may need tighter criteria, especially where drugs are involved.
The moral is if you don’t want to be chased by a machete don’t run up drug debts.
Yeah it was unusual that there is no info on his motivations or that the attack was unprovoked
Dutch connections?
Death Dealers, bring back the cat o nine tails as well.