Hastings assault investigation progressing as officers contact victims

Louie Easton, Jaydn Christian and Luke Furminger, all aged 19, were attacked in Pelham Place just after 10pm on Friday (May 28).

The three friends had just finished playing crazy golf when they were confronted by a group of about 12 youths who proceeded to punch and kick them, and chase them onto the road, they said.

On Tuesday (June 1), their families called for a thorough police investigation after saying none of the victims had been contacted by the police to provide a statement.

On Wednesday, Sussex Police said the case has now been assigned to an officer in the Hastings CID ‘who has made contact with the victims to progress the investigation’.

A spokesman for the force said: “The matter is being taken very seriously and a thorough investigation is underway. As part of this, a number of enquiries are currently ongoing and police are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the assault, in particular anyone who may have mobile phone footage or images of the incident, or anyone with dash cam footage that was driving past the area at the time.”

Officers were called to Pelham Place around 10.10pm on Friday (May 28) following reports that a group of people had attacked three men.

The victims, all aged 19, were kicked and punched and suffered serious facial injuries, police said. They were all taken to the Conquest Hospital for treatment, with one of the victims needing further treatment at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

Luke has been unable to eat since the incident after having 26 stitches in his mouth. Jaydn suffered a fractured eye socket and a bleed within his cheek, and Louie suffered bruising to his ribs, and underwent treatment for a suspected punctured lung and a build of fluid within the eyebrow.

Louie’s mum Karly Easton and Luke’s mum Emma Jury said police attended the incident on Friday evening but no statements had been taken from any of the three victims by Tuesday afternoon.

Police said: “Response officers attended the scene and carried out a number of initial enquiries, including securing CCTV footage in the area.”

Karly said: “No statements were taken at the time, no police officers accompanied them to the hospital, and since the incident, nobody has had the courtesy to check in on them. Even now Louie is remembering things from Friday night which could help the police in their investigation. I called the police this morning but I’ve not heard anything back.

“When Louie was growing up I always told him to trust the police and report incidents but this goes against that. It’s not dramatic to say that somebody could be killed if this group isn’t found.

“So many people drove past the incident on Friday night without stopping. I know people are scared but they could have sounded their horn to get help.”

Emma said she was concerned the incident was being put down as a normal Friday night incident in Hastings, but in reality it had left three young men ‘physically and mentally scarred’.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police online or by calling 101 quoting serial 1623 of 28/05. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.