A man has been arrested following a collision between two cars near Gatwick Airport.

The incident involving a black Ford and a black Mercedes occurred on 16 July at around 3.55pm on the junctions of Beehive Ring Road and Gatwick Road.

A 55-year-old man from East Grinstead has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, uninsured driving and possession of an offensive weapon in public.

He has been bailed until 17 September pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sussex Police

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is encouraging residents to consider whether they, or someone they know, could benefit from a free Safe and Well Visit.

Anyone who is at a higher risk of experiencing a fire or who may have trouble escaping in an emergency, is eligible for the free visit by the fire service.

The visits will also cover wider health and wellbeing issues that can affect a person’s safety

Residents can find out more and request a visit on the West Sussex County Council website

40-year-old Luke Ingram is currently serving seven years and five months in prison for his role in running a drugs factory out of storage containers.

On Tuesday, 29 July 2025, officers carried out a warrant at a site just outside Horley.

They found evidence of a sophisticated cannabis factory, including machinery to help harvest the plants on a substantial scale. Most of the plants had already been harvested, but a large quantity of cannabis was found in a fridge within the warehouse.

Officers saw a man on a phone fleeing the site as they arrived, pushing through brambles and bushes to make good his escape. Subsequent phone data showed Ingram’s phone travelling from the site at that time.

Intrepid police dog Jilly tracked the escapee’s scent through the undergrowth and encountered a dropped pair of keys. These opened the door to 2.2kg of cocaine in a container inside the warehouse, alongside evidence that it was being divided up for onward distribution.

The site was leased to Ingram, supposedly to house supplies for a legitimate landscaping business. He was nowhere to be found, and officers soon learned he was intent on leaving the country as soon as possible.

Three days later, officers intercepted Ingram just after sunrise at Gatwick Airport in line to board a 5.45am flight to Nice. He was arrested for being concerned in the supply Class A and B drugs and being concerned in production of cannabis. Rather than checking into his seat on a plane, he was instead booked into a police custody cell.

Ingram was in possession of a new phone and a new number, which included messages where he talked about going away and needing more lives or a miracle. He was also sporting cuts, scratches, and bruises when detained, consistent with fleeing through woodland at speed.

Ingram (30/07/1985), of Reigate, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on Tuesday, 16 June, after pleading guilty to playing a leading role in a large-scale drugs operation.

Investigating officer, DC Ellie Blackford, said, “Ingram said in a text to a friend that he needed ‘a miracle’ to be able to get out of the country last August. Unfortunately for him we were fresh out of miracles, and he has now been grounded.

“Drug dealing is far from a victimless crime, and we are committed to robustly tackling the production and supply of illegal drugs in Surrey and bringing those responsible before the courts.”

A prolific burglar who targeted businesses, building sites and homes across Surrey, Sussex and south London has been jailed following a two-year investigation by Surrey Police.

Kieran Coll, 37 (DOB: 23/09/1988), of Blindley Heath, Surrey, was responsible for a string of burglaries committed between 2023 and 2025, stealing thousands of pounds worth while repeatedly attempting to evade police.

Coll first came to the attention of police after committing two burglaries on consecutive days in Haywards Heath, Sussex, in August 2023. CCTV enquiries identified him entering a building site and stealing around £1,500 worth of tools.

In November 2024, forensic evidence linked Coll to a burglary at a furniture store in Horsham, Sussex, where around £7,000 worth of tools were stolen.

He was also identified as the offender responsible for a burglary in Lingfield, Surrey, where vehicle keys were stolen before a tradesman’s van was taken. The van was later returned to its owner, with Coll falsely claiming his brother had taken it. CCTV enquiries disproved his account and confirmed Coll as the perpetrator.

Following the initial investigation, Coll was charged in January 2025 with four counts of burglary and taking a vehicle without consent. After failing to appear at court in March 2025, officers continued to investigate a further series of linked offences committed across Surrey and south London before eventually locating and arresting him.

In May 2025, officers from Surrey Police’s Western Proactive Investigation Team linked a suspect vehicle to a number of burglaries in the Cranleigh area.

While responding to a burglary in Shackleford, local officers spotted the vehicle leaving the scene. Further enquiries identified Coll as the driver and uncovered a second vehicle linked to his offending.
Days later, officers from Surrey Police’s Roads Policing Unit located the vehicle in Blindley Heath. When they attempted to stop it, Coll drove away at speed, overtaking other vehicles dangerously before abandoning the car and attempting to escape on foot.
During the foot pursuit, Coll assaulted a police officer before making off.

Over the following weeks, Coll continued offending across Surrey and south London before officers traced him to Kent.
Two Surrey Police officers later spotted Coll in a supermarket car park and approached him to make an arrest. Coll attempted to evade arrest yet again and assaulted both officers, causing injuries amounting to actual bodily harm to one officer. Despite the assault, the officers pursued him on foot and successfully detained him.

Coll was charged the following day with further offences committed between May and June 2025 and was remanded into custody.
The investigation, led by PC King, brought together officers from several teams across Surrey Police. Their enquiries linked Coll to offences across Surrey, Sussex and south London, while a number of stolen items recovered during the investigation were returned to their rightful owners.

At Maidstone Crown Court on 9 April, Coll pleaded guilty to four counts of dwelling burglary, five counts of non-dwelling burglary, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, three counts of handling stolen goods, dangerous driving, fraud by false representation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

He was sentenced to six years and two months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 57 months. He must also complete an extended driving test before being permitted to drive again.
Coll later appeared at Guildford Crown Court last month, (23 June), where he was sentenced to a further 28 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, after pleading guilty to one count of dwelling burglary, one count of non-dwelling burglary and one count of attempted burglary.

Investigating officer PC Iona King said: “This was a complex investigation involving officers and staff from a number of teams across Surrey Police. Through determined investigative work, we were able to link Coll to a series of offences, recover stolen property and ensure he was placed firmly behind bars.

“I would also like to recognise the professionalism and commitment shown by the officers involved in locating and arresting Coll, particularly those who were assaulted while carrying out their duties. Their actions ensured a prolific offender was taken off our streets and prevented further victims from being targeted.”

PC Joseph Brown said: “Coll deliberately targeted locations where he believed valuable property could be stolen, causing significant financial loss and disruption to businesses and hardworking victims.
“Throughout the investigation, he repeatedly attempted to avoid responsibility for his actions, but the evidence gathered by officers built a compelling case against him.

“I hope this sentence provides reassurance to the victims affected by his offending and demonstrates our commitment to identifying and bringing prolific offenders before the courts.”

Crawley Borough Council has approved an increased budget for the Three Bridges Station Improvement Scheme of £7,970,968, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of this important sustainable transport infrastructure project.

Three Bridges is one of the county’s busiest railway stations with around 3.3 million people using it each year, which is within the top seven per cent of stations in the country. It is the fifth busiest in Sussex, with 40,000 people commuting in each day. The improvements will help improve the pickup and drop off areas of the station, provide new parking areas, and expand pedestrian access. New bus and cycle access lanes will also be added.

The approved budget will enable the scheme to move into the construction and implementation phase, bringing forward long-awaited improvements at Three Bridges Station and helping to support Crawley’s continued growth and development.

The funding package comprises:

• £2,086,192 already approved within the council’s Capital Programme
• £2,049,776 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) strategic infrastructure strand
• £3,835,000 reallocated from West Sussex County Council funding through the Crawley Growth Programme

The budget has increased since the last estimate in March 2020 due to rising construction costs, additional railway compliance and accessibility requirements, operational and design complexities identified during project development, and the inclusion of a contingency to manage ongoing economic uncertainty and market volatility.

Three Bridges Station is an important transport hub serving residents, businesses and visitors. These improvements will help create a more accessible, attractive and efficient station environment for passengers, encourage sustainable travel, and strengthen connectivity for our communities. I am convinced this will result in the improvement of the public realm and whole public transport experience for many residents and commuters in the borough at this key mainline station.

Councillor Michael Jones

Leader

Crawley Borough Council