A teenager who stabbed a man following an altercation in Horsham has been jailed for a total of seven years.
Police were called to the incident in East Street around 1.38am on 2 October, 2021.
Enquiries revealed the victim – a 22-year-old local man – had thrown a bottle at his friend, which missed and hit another person nearby.
He was then approached by three unknown males. The first knocked fast food out of the victim’s hand, the second repeatedly punched him to the face, and the third stabbed him three times to the torso.
The victim was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.
Three suspects were initially arrested in connection with the incident but released without charge.
Then on 8 October, a fourth suspect – Harvey Beckett, 18, of Burnham Place, Horsham – was arrested in London with the assistance of the Met Police.
Beckett was charged with causing grievous bodily harm, possession of a knife in public and possession of cannabis.
He was remanded in custody and appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Friday 1 April, where he was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, consisting of four years in a Young Offenders Institution and three years on extended licence.
The court heard Beckett lunged towards the victim with a knife in his hand, causing three separate stab wounds. He then ran from the scene and discarded the weapon in a bush; this was later located and recovered by officers.
Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter, District Commander for Adur and Worthing, said: “Beckett is well known to police, having already been convicted of multiple offences including battery, possession of offensive weapons and possession of illegal drugs.
“It was imperative that we located and arrested him as soon as possible after this incident, and with the assistance with our Met colleagues, we were able to achieve this.
“He was remanded in custody immediately after his arrest to prevent further offences and ultimately, to protect the public.
“Now justice has been served and this violent criminal will serve a lengthy sentence behind bars.
“This case should serve as a reminder to others that violence and knife crime will absolutely not be tolerated in Sussex. We continue to work with partners and the community to prevent and detect offences, and anyone convicted can expect to face robust action.”
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