A Hastings man who took part in a violent burglary at an isolated East Sussex address has been given a 10-year prison sentence following a Sussex Police investigation.
27-year-old unemployed Damien Oprey, from Mount Pleasant Road, Hastings, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Friday (8 February) having been convicted of taking part in the aggravated burglary just before midnight on Monday 12 November.
Five men, one with a handgun, smashed their way through the front door into the bungalow in Butchers Lane, Three Oaks, while the sole occupant was asleep inside.
The 61-year-old man was terrified and fled unhurt into his garden while the suspects made off with an old laptop, but caused extensive damage to the property and considerable distress for the occupant.
Detective Constable Shelley Campbell said;
“During our enquiries, forensic examination of the scene found Oprey’s DNA in blood at the address and he was arrested later that month.
“The damage caused to gain entry was excessive and much of it totally unnecessary and we can only imagine it was to create the greatest amount of fear to whoever was inside.”
“This was a frightening incident for the victim, and the exact motive is still not clear, but we are glad to have have been able to bring one member of this gang to justice already.”
Inspector Jon Gillings added:
“This is an excellent result and reflects the hours of hard work Hastings Detectives and Investigators are putting into making Hastings and Rother Districts safer.”
“Our enquiries continue to trace the other four men involved in the attack. If you can help in any way, please contact us online or call 101, quoting serial 001 of 13/11/18.”
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If you have a story, video or one-off blog that you would like to share with us, then you can contact our team of former emergency services & armed forces personnel either through our Facebook page, via Twitter ( @ES_News_ ) or you can contact us via email: contact@emergency-services.news
If you run or manage a ‘job’ social media account and you would like us to share one of your stories then send us a tweet or a message!
If you would like to write an article that you would like us to share (it can be about anything to do with the emergency services / NHS) whether you serve in the emergency services / NHS or whether you are a member of the public who has had a good experience with the emergency services, then feel free to contact our team; anonymously if you prefer.
We are proud to act as a voice for the emergency services, armed forces & health service, with over 500,000 people visiting our website each month.
Before you go...
WE NEED YOUR HELP.Here at Emergency Services News, we aim to tell you stories that the mainstream media are not interested in reporting. Whilst the MSM love to berate and ridicule the emergency services, who is there to report on the realities of serving on the front line?
Emergency Services News is currently a loss-making entity. But our team of volunteers, all former emergency services personnel, do not do it for the money.
We do it because we are sick and tired of the mainstream media constantly trying to undermine the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep you and your family safe.
How many MSM journalists who speak ill of the emergency services have actually dared to don the uniform and risk their own lives to save the life of a complete stranger? If you would like to help back our mission of reporting on fact-based news, then please consider helping to support us financially.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
