This year there has been a number of high profile stabbings, including fatal incidents involving young people.
While figures are yet to be released on the number of knife crime incidents in the county this year, we know already that nearly three-quarters of knife crime offenders in Sussex had no previous knife-related convictions or cautions.
Anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust has said urgent change is needed to address this trend, as it suggests “for some, carrying knives has become normalised behaviour”.
Ministry of Justice figures show 236 first-time knife criminals in Sussex went through the criminal justice system in the year ending March 2023.
They account for 72 per cent of all those found guilty of knife and offensive weapon offences.
The Argus has launched its Cut Knife Crime campaign in a bid to help reduce the number of tragic incidents.
The campaign has been launched after three stabbings in five days, with one youngster losing his life.
Today, our round up of the incidents covered in The Argus this year illustrates why a judge this month described a rise in knife crime which is becoming “a real problem with many tragic consequences”.
February
February 4
An 89-year-old was stabbed in the neck at his home in Henfield.
Lee Tidey, 24, carried out the “planned attack” after breaking into the man’s home and grabbing a pillow ready to smother him.
He then lay in wait and when the man came upstairs late at night he attacked him, stabbing him in the neck with a “sharp object" thought to be a screwdriver.
A jury at Lewes Crown Court found Tidey guilty of attempted murder.
Sentencing him to 23 years in prison in November, Judge Christine Laing KC described the attack as “truly terrifying”.
February 13
Police investigated a stabbing outside McDonald’s in Liverpool Road, Worthing at around 5.30pm.
A 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Forensic officers were at the scene overnight and into the morning.
Sussex Police introduced a section 60 order, which was in place from February 15 to 16 while investigations continued.
The section 60 order gave police officers extra powers to search anyone and seize any weapons found in Worthing town centre, without grounds, to prevent further incidents taking place.
At the time, West Sussex’s local policing Superintendent Nicholas Dias said: “We continue to respond to peoples’ concerns about anti-social behaviour from a small group of young people in and around the Worthing area.
“We are working closely with our partners, including Worthing District Council and key partners in children’s services to address these issues and keep our communities safe.”
February 7
Police attended Old Ladies Court, near Battle High Street, following a report of a serious assault around 10.30am on Tuesday, February 7.
A 21-year-old man from Battle had been stabbed in the leg.
He was taken to hospital for treatment but was later discharged.
An investigation was launched and enquiries including witness statements, CCTV searches and forensic examinations were completed by detectives and forensic examiners during the following days and weeks.
February 20
A teenager was fatally stabbed near Crawley railway station at 3.21pm.
The 18-year-old man was found with serious injuries and despite the best efforts of members of the public and paramedics, who commenced CPR, he was sadly pronounced deceased.
Pictures from the scene showed a large police presence in the street with a cordon and blue tent in place.
Forensics teams were working in the area.
An inquest was opened into the death of Kunakakwashe Chinganga.
It has been adjourned to a date to be confirmed while the Coroner awaits a decision from the CPS on prosecution.
February 24
A man was taken to hospital after being stabbed in London Road, Bexhill, at around 11.50pm.
There was a large police presence in the town with a cordon in place.
March
March 27
A man was taken to hospital after he was found lying in a street with stab wounds.
Police and ambulance crews attended Wallace Avenue, Worthing, around 9.20pm.
An air ambulance helicopter landed in nearby Marine Gardens to take him to hospital.
March 31
Armed police descended on The Hornet and Douglas Martin Road in Chichester after they were called to a report of a stabbing in Green Lane, at about 8pm.
Sussex Police said a 28-year-old local man self-presented to hospital, where he was treated for an arm wound.
April
April 25
A man was seriously assaulted with a blade.
He was confronted by a group of young people in Hollington Old Lane, St Leonards, between 11.30pm on April 25 and 12.05am on April 26.
Police said one of the group had a blade, which was used to cause a serious injury to the man’s hand.
He was able to run from the scene and sought help in nearby Blackman Avenue before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
His injuries were serious but not life threatening.
April 30
A man was taken to hospital after being stabbed in the stomach.
Sussex Police were called to The Avenue, Eastbourne, shortly after 9.30pm on Sunday following reports a man had been stabbed.
This article is part of our Cut Knife Crime campaign.
Our mission is to reduce knife crime and the number of people being injured and killed in stabbings through:
- Increasing the use of knife amnesty bins.
- Educating young people about knife crime and making them aware of the effects it has on not just the victim, but those around them
- Having more bleed control kits in pubs, shops and businesses
May
May 15
Waeling, 18, was convicted of attempted murder and will be sentenced next year.
May 19
A teenager sustained serious injuries when he was stabbed on a residential street.
The 19-year-old was taken to hospital after the incident with a police cordon in place around the street.
Emergency services including Air Ambulance were called to the scene. The incident is being treated as isolated.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “A 19-year-old man from Brighton sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.”
May 20
A 20-year-old man from Brighton was taken to hospital after being stabbed in the back in Hampden Park, Eastbourne, at around 6.30pm.
May 27
A 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital after being stabbed in the city centre.
The incident took place in Russell Square, close to Churchill Square shopping centre on what was a busy Saturday afternoon in Brighton.
May 29
Two people were stabbed on a train travelling from Ore to London Victoria.
British Transport Police (BTP) officers were called to Lewes Station at 8.23pm after reports of a fight on board the train.
A spokeswoman for BTP said: "Officers quickly attended alongside paramedics and two victims were taken to hospital for treatment to knife wounds – thankfully neither are life-changing or life-threatening."
June
June 9
A couple who died in their own home were found with stab wounds.
Parents Chloe-Jay Bashford, 30, and Joshua Bashford, 33, were found dead in their Newhaven home on Friday, June 9.
An inquest into their death was opened and adjourned. It heard they were found in different bedrooms at their home at around 7pm.
July
July 1
Three men were treated for stab wounds after a fight in the early hours reported to involve a machete.
The group of young men were caught on camera brawling in the street near Portland Road in Worthing.
Police were called to the scene and the men were taken to hospital and treated for wounds alongside a fourth man who suffered a head injury.
July 14
Emergency services were called to Whitehawk Close at around 12.25pm and found a man with significant injuries believed to have been caused by a bladed weapon.
July 23
Charlie Cosser was fatally stabbed in a field near Marches Road, Warnham in the early hours of the morning.
A murder trial is due to take place in May next year after a 17-year-old pleaded not guilty.
READ MORE: Charlie Cosser's father talks to The Argus about the heartbreaking death of his son
August
August 6
A man was stabbed in the early hours of the morning in First Avenue, Hove.
He suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
August 13
Harrison Tomkins, 25, from Haywards Heath died after being stabbed in the back.
The lifeguard found with multiple stab wounds in a flat at Arthur Road, Crawley, at around 5.30am on Sunday, August 13.
In an inquest opening held this morning at Woodvale Coroners’ Court in Brighton, senior coroner Joanne Andrews declared his death was “unnatural” but that coronial proceedings will be suspended until criminal proceedings are complete.
August 14
A teenager was taken to hospital after being attacked with a knife outside Churchill Square at around 9.30pm.
An off-duty police officer came across the injured 18-year-old man outside the shopping centre in Brighton.
The man reported being assaulted by a man with a knife, suffering a facial injury before the attacker fled the scene.
August 27
A man was stabbed while at work in Abinger Road, Portslade.
The 23-year-old Co-op worker was attacked at around 7.30pm and went to hospital with serious injuries.
September
September 27
A teenager was stabbed in the leg and needed to be taken to hospital.
The 19-year-old was treated by emergency services after the incident where he sustained a wound to the leg at around midday in Barley Close, Crawley.
October
October 5
Mustafa Momand, 17, was fatally stabbed while on his way to Brighton station at around 5pm.
October 7
Officers and ambulance crews were called to St James's Street, Brighton, at around 1am on October 7 after a man in his twenties was stabbed.
He was taken to hospital for treatment. The injuries were not life-threatening and he was discharged.
October 9
A 22-year-old man was taken to hospital with “significant injuries” after being stabbed in Brighton city centre.
The attack happened at around 3.50am in Trafalgar Street.
November
November 8
A 63-year-old from Brighton was in a critical condition in hospital after he was stabbed twice in Brunswick Place, Hove at 7.25am.
If you can host a bleed control pack in your business or support our campaign in any way contact campaigns@theargus.co.uk.
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