A Crawley man has been sentenced to six years and ten months in prison for a series of violent attacks, including a brutal assault on three police officers that left two officers with permanent eye injuries.
Mohammed Rasool, 44, of Gossops Drive, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on 19 March 2026. Rasool had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery, and racially aggravated common assault.
The incident involving the police occurred on 31 May 2025, when officers arrived at his home address to arrest him for failing to appear in court regarding a previous robbery charge. During the confrontation, Rasool attacked the three officers, striking one with a mobile phone and gouging the eyes of two female officers, leaving both with significant and permanent injuries. One of the victims, an officer with 28 years of service, later described the encounter as the most traumatic of her career, noting she feared she would lose her sight during the struggle.
Prior to his arrest, Rasool was involved in two road rage incidents near Gatwick Airport. On 3 May 2024, he racially abused and struck a taxi driver. On 28 June 2024, he was involved in a second incident where he undertook a vehicle, braked sharply, struck the driver through a car window, and grabbed the victim’s mobile phone.
The sentencing comes amidst concerns over the safety of emergency workers in the region. According to the Sussex Police Federation, four officers are assaulted every day in Sussex, resulting in 257 injuries annually. The federation has highlighted that these recurring attacks have significantly impacted morale within the force.
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