A Crawley man has been sentenced after driving his car at a police officer during a drink-driving incident in the town centre. Lee Houghton, 38, of Ifield Road, pleaded guilty to charges including drink-driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, and assaulting an emergency worker.
The incident began when officers patrolling Crawley High Street were alerted that Houghton had entered his vehicle while intoxicated after leaving The White Hart pub. When police moved to block his path, Houghton reversed and then accelerated directly toward an officer on foot. The officer narrowly avoided serious injury during the encounter.
Following his arrest, breath tests showed Houghton had 98 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, which is nearly three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms. He appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 16 March 2026. The court sentenced him to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.
In addition to his suspended sentence, Houghton was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and remain sober for 120 days. He must also pay £100 in compensation to the officer involved. The court further disqualified him from driving for 24 months, and he is required to pass an extended re-test if he wishes to hold a driving licence again.
This case follows ongoing enforcement efforts by Sussex Police to improve safety in the local community. These efforts have included initiatives such as the Safer Business Action Week, which involves partnerships with groups like Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and local trading standards to tackle criminal activity in and around businesses.
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