A series of vehicle-related offences in West Sussex have led to the imprisonment of a man involved in numerous incidents across the region.
On the night of November 7th, just after midnight, police received reports of a man tampering with car doors on Arden Road, Crawley. Later that morning, it emerged that approximately £30 in cash had been stolen from a vehicle in the area.
Another incident occurred on the evening of December 26th, around 10:30 pm, in Sandeman Way, Horsham. A suspect was caught attempting to enter a car. The vehicle’s owner, a 49-year-old Horsham man, managed to detain the perpetrator until the arrival of the police. Ashley Ascoli, 30, from Brookers Road, Billingshurst, was subsequently arrested.
Ascoli faced charges including theft from a motor vehicle and vehicle interference. Additionally, he was charged with possession of crack cocaine and assault relating to an October 14th incident where he assaulted a woman.
Upon appearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on December 28th, Ascoli pleaded guilty to all four charges. He received a sentence of 49 weeks’ imprisonment, marking a significant response to his series of offenses.
Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter said: “Ascoli was persistent in his offending and we are aware of the impact this type of criminality has on local communities.
“We will continue to be robust in our approach to tackling vehicle crime and I urge anyone who see’s anyone acting suspiciously in their communities to report this through to 101 or crime stoppers anonymous.”
