Hastings and Eastbourne men jailed after attack on teenagers

Dillon Beeching drove his BMW into two teenage boys who were on the back of a stolen motorcycle belonging to Liam Hide.

Beeching and Hide then assaulted the boys as they lay injured on the floor. Both boys were seriously injured with one suffering life-changing injuries.

The scene of the crash (Image: Sussex Police)

The mother of one of the boys said: “You [Beeching and Hide] took the law into your own hands, and what you did was unforgivable.

“Now both you and our families have to suffer because of your reckless and evil behaviour.”

The court heard how Hide, 22, reported his Honda motorcycle stolen on the morning of July 20 but told police that if it was not found by midday he would harm those who had taken it.

The Honda motorbike (Image: Sussex Police)

He later met Beeching in his blue BMW and drove around until they found the stolen bike in Frederick Road, Hastings at 2.35pm.

Beeching, 23, deliberately drove into the path of the boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, causing them serious injuries.

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The pair assaulted the boys on the floor including dragging them across the road.

Passersby intervened before the police arrived.

At Chichester Crown Court on January 19, Hide, of Ashford Road, Hastings, was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and actual bodily harm with intent after a trial. He was sentenced to six years in prison.

Beeching, of Grand Parade, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to five and a half years in prison and disqualified from driving for over two years.

Liam Hide (Image: Sussex Police)

Sussex Police chief inspector Jayantha Mendis-Gunasekera, district commander for Hastings, said: “This incident left two boys seriously injured, one with life-changing injuries.

“When Hide reported the matter to the police, the investigation should have been allowed to take its course.

“But he was already intent on causing harm, and together with Beeching they carried out an appalling assault on these boys.

Dillon Beeching (Image: Sussex Police)

“Road traffic collisions have a devastating impact on those involved, and the defendants were lucky not to have caused a fatality to either of the boys, to other innocent road users, or to themselves.

“This case demonstrates our determination to catch violent offenders.”