VIDEO: Good citizens receive Sussex police awards

Click on the panel above to see video of good citizen award winners Mark O'Connor and Matthew Barrow.

Burglar caught

In May, Mark O'Connor saw a boy on a mountain bike inside a private courtyard near his house in Worthing.

He did not recognise the teenager and was concerned what he was doing, so Mr O'Connor challenged him and noticed that he had a handbag with him which raised his suspicions.

While on the phone to the police, the boy became verbally aggressive and agitated, which led to Mr O'Connor to use reasonable force to detain him.

Police said the teenager had committed a burglary at a nearby address and had stolen the handbag and purse from the 86-year-old resident who had been at home during the burglary but was unaware of her uninvited guest.

The 15-year old suspect was arrested for burglary and he admitted the offence.

Seven other burglaries he had been part of were taken into consideration and he was given a 12-month supervision order.

Woman saved

TWO police officers who stopped a woman from trying to kill herself in Worthing were honoured.

In the early hours of August 22, police constables Nancy Jane Sickler and Lee Versluys were on patrol in Broadwater Road when they found a distressed woman trying to jump over the railings on Broadwater Bridge.

The officers tried to prevent the woman climbing the railings '“ but she continued and started to jump off the railings just as the officers managed to grab hold of her.

As she dangled 20ft above the road, she slipped as her clothing ripped and she fell to the ground. The woman's legs were fractured from the fall.

Worthing Chief Insp Hodges said: "Had it not been for the actions of these officers, her injuries would have been much more serious."

Disturbance

BRAVERY awards were given to Worthing PCs Andrew Ricks and Lee Elliott. The officers were called to Steyne Gardens in August when a group of youths were causing a disturbance.

A young man in the group appeared to have assaulted a young woman.

The offender, who was drunk, ran into the sea.

The officers started to search the area and saw the man shouting and bobbing under the water.

Chief Insp Hodges said: "Knowing the man was drunk, the officers feared he may drown so they entered the water and waded out to him.

"They did this despite the fact they had no adequate light, no back-up units and a rowdy group of youths goading them on."

The officers managed to retrieve the man and he was arrested along with another man who had entered the water.

Commitment

AN award of divisional congratulations for commitment was awarded to PC Olivia Crane and PCSO Yvonne Mortlock.

The pair were on patrol in Salvington when a man accidentally set himself on fire while trying to burn some bushes he had cut in his garden.

A divisional congratulations for commitment was presented to PC Scott Walters who has helped develop body-worn video equipment for police.

PC Walters was praised for giving his time and energy to the development and implementation of the video equipment and for helping to train other officers to use the kit.

Community service

A SECOND Good Citizen award was presented to Matthew Barrow.

Mr Barrow, who is pastor at Clifton Community Church in Clifton Road, Worthing, has provided a community service to the town's youngsters as well as in other countries.

The Clifton Community Church is also the headquarters for the local neighbourhood watch and neighbourhood panel, plus two residents' associations, toddlers' groups and children's activity club.

Attempted murder

A DIVISIONAL congratulations was awarded to Sergeant Sally Arbuckle for her work into the investigation of the attempted murder of a woman in Worthing by her husband.

Anne Dreisler was struck by a Transit van and knocked from her bike.

She was then driven over again and left for dead.

Her injuries were horrific, leaving her in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

In March, Martin Hewlett, was convicted of the attempted murder of Anne and sentenced to life imprisonment.

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing news.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]

Click here for the Herald staff directory.

Want to read this page in French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu or 48 other languages? click here for Google translate.