A MAN who taunted police on social media during an appeal to find him has been jailed.

Jay Georgiou, 27, was wanted on recall to prison last year, with a £500 reward offered for information on his whereabouts.

While at large, he responded to Sussex Police on social media in response to the appeal.

"I am not Eastbourne's Jay Georgiou, I am THE Jay Georgiou," he boasted, also posting an image of himself behind the wheel of a vehicle while wearing a balaclava.

However, officers from the Specialist Enforcement Unit caught Georgiou and arrested him at a car rental office in Eastbourne on September 13 last year.

He had been wanted for several months on recall to prison, and was returned to custody to serve the remainder of his custodial sentence for robbery, imposed in 2014.

When he was arrested, he was found in possession of a combat knife, cannabis and a lock-pick set.

Following an investigation by officers at Eastbourne CID, he was further charged with possession of a class B drug, possession of a knife, and going equipped for theft.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on January 10 Georgiou, formerly of Belmore Road, Seaford, admitted the three new offences, and he was sentenced to a further 16 weeks in prison in total.

The court also seized the knife and lock-pick set under Deprivation Orders and the cannabis was seized and destroyed.

Detective Constable Glen Saunders said: "Georgiou had posted on social media in response to our appeal to find him.

"He claimed that the appeal was a lie, and threatened anyone who informed police about his whereabouts.

"But our officers arrested him and he was returned to custody.

"This result shows our determination to catch violent offenders and keep communities safe."

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