Elderly in Sussex warned of bogus door knockers

Sussex Police is warning elderly residents in the county following a large number of reports of a man attemping to gain access to homes.
The man who has been described as using befriending behaviour to gain entry into the properties of elderly and vulnerable people. These incidents have occurred between 28th April to 7th May in Barcombe, Bexhill, St Leonards, Lewes and Seaford, all in East Sussex, but it is quite possible that he may have called elsewhere in Sussex or further afield in the south east.
The man has been described as being in his mid forties to mid fifties and of stocky build. He has also been described as unshaven or with a moustache.

Coleen Rooney promotes fostering in Sussex

Coleen Rooney is urging people throughout West Sussex to follow in the footsteps of her mum and dad by becoming foster carers.
The wife of football ace Wayne Rooney said: “Fostering is a vital service that often goes unnoticed. As my own parents have been foster parents since I was very young, I know what a fantastic job foster carers do.
“Every child and young person deserves the love, support and encouragement to succeed in life and look forward to a brighter future.”
Coleen was speaking on behalf of the Fostering Network in the run up to its nationwide Foster Care Fortnight campaign, which gets underway on Monday (May 11) and is backed by West Sussex County Council.
Coleen added: “I hope Foster Care Fortnight will encourage more people to come forward and help fill the desperate shortage of foster carers in the UK.
“It can be a challenging job but one which can enrich whole families and make a real and lasting difference to children's lives.”
To find out more about fostering for West Sussex County Council please call the Fostering Recruitment Team for a free information pack on: 0800 121 6508.
Alternatively, you can visit the website for more information: www.westsussex.gov.uk/fostering
There's also more info on http://www.couldyoufoster.org.uk/

Ban placed on café owner for hygiene offences

A CAFÉ owner who served food from a filthy kitchen and had rats in the back garden has been banned from running food businesses.
Patricia Elsdon, of Lewis Avenue, St Leonards, pleaded guilty to 11 food hygiene offences relating to her management of the ‘Beach Retreat’, in Winchelsea Beach, when she appeared before Hastings magistrates last week.
She had been convicted of similar offences in 2007 relating to the same premises.
Elsdon was given a prohibition order which prevents her from running any sort of food business in the country. For the order to be lifted Elsdon would have to convince a court she no longer posed a danger to public health.

Curfew order handed down to benefits cheat

A JOINT prosecution led to a benefit cheat being given a curfew order. Andrew Pleasants, of Willingdon Avenue, St Leonards, admitted claiming £5,584.33 in benefits he was not entitled to when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court recrently.
The court heard that Mr Pleasants, 38, had been claiming income support, incapacity benefit, housing and council tax benefit but had failed to tell either the DWP or the Council that he started working in February 2008. Magistrates gave Mr Pleasants a three-month curfew order between the hours of 6pm and 5am and he was ordered to pay £60 in costs.

Anti-social driving targetted in Brighton and Hove

OFFICERS FROM the Road Policing Unit of Sussex Police carried out Operation Crackdown in the Brighton & Hove area between April 14th and 28th.Officers targeted drivers who committed road traffic offences or chose to drive in an anti social manner, some of which had already been reported to the Operation Crackdown website.
Just over 400 offences were detected. These included:• 293 people being issued with fixed penalty notices for offences including excess speed, using a mobile phone, contravening red traffic lights or not wearing seat belts • 17 people being prosecuted for having no insurance• 34 vehicles seizures for either not having insurance or the driver not having a licence• 24 people reported for other offences and will be summonsed to appear at court• 12 people arrested for a number of offences including drink driving, driving whilst disqualified and possession of controlled drugs.
http://www.operationcrackdown.org/ for more information
See a video by the Sussex Press Agency of the launch of the COSTS campaign in Shoreham-by-Sea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI0p_zw01f0