Man convicted of violent assault on pensioner in Hastings
The 77-year-old victim suffered multiple fractures after his motorhome was broken into
A man who violently assaulted a pensioner at his motorhome in Hastings has been convicted of multiple offences.
Joseph Charlott left his 77-year-old victim with injuries including a fractured shoulder blade, fractured ribs and a fractured chest bone, after forcing his way into the vehicle in Malvern Close on May 12th last year.
Sussex Police said the 22-year-old of Deepdene Gardens in the town responded with a 'flurry of violence' after the victim contacted officers, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking him while he lay defenceless on the ground.
He ad already made himself known to officers after spitting at an officer and had been found with a knuckleduster only 24 hours earlier.
Charlott then went on the run from May until August, and after finally being located by officers, jumped out of a second-storey window in an attempt to escape.
He was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, assaulting an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage at Lewes Crown Court on October 3rd, following a three-day trial.
Charlott has been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on November 18th.
Detective Sergeant Jake O'Reilly of Sussex Police said:
"This level of violence against a vulnerable member of the public protecting his property is indefensible and I’m glad to see that, on hearing the evidence, the jury has convicted the defendant.
"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the many teams across Sussex Police who worked tirelessly to investigate, locate, arrest and charge Charlott, and I hope his sentencing in November will offer some closure for the victims and that it will reflect the destruction he has caused.”
Charlott was found not guilty of one count of assaulting an emergency worker.