Gun threat and violent attack lands man in jail for two years in Crawley
Shocking incident near The Grand Bay
A man has been locked up for two years after threatening another with a firearm and launching a savage attack in Crawley. The terrifying episode unfolded on August 11 near The Grand Bay in Pelham Place when Manuelito Andre, 25, ended up in hospital with serious arm injuries.
CCTV footage rewrites the story
Sussex Police initially responded to reports of a stabbing. Andre claimed he was chased and stabbed after confronting a man over money owed. But a detailed investigation, including a thorough CCTV review, flipped that account on its head.
The footage revealed Andre was the aggressor, threatening a man in his 30s with a gun before carrying out a prolonged assault. The victim, pushed into a corner, grabbed a knife in self-defence, inflicting the injuries that sent Andre to hospital.
“This was a complex investigation in which CCTV showed different events to what we were told,” said CID Supervisor Oli Robinson. “The CCTV evidence was key to Andre’s conviction. It showed how the victim was cornered into an area where he was able to grab an item to defend himself.”
Conviction and sentence
Andre, who has no fixed address, was arrested in hospital on August 14. He later pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court on September 12. On October 25, he was sentenced to two years behind bars and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge.
“Due to his behaviour, Andre is now behind bars and rightly serving his sentence,” added CID Supervisor Robinson.
CCTV crucial in justice served
This case highlights the power of CCTV in cracking complex crimes and exposing the truth. What started as a stabbing report ended up exposing a violent gun threat and assault, all caught on film and dropping the hammer on the real culprit.
