A SUSPECT spent more than three years on police bail before being charged.

Jonathan Lester Barclay, 51, of Chadborn Close, Brighton, was arrested and bailed in October 2011 and charged this month with internet-based sexual offences.

His “exceptional” length of time spent under investigation has come to light amid a disagreement between Sussex Police and the Government on bail time limits.

The Government plans to impose a statutory 28-day time limit, but the head of Sussex Police said some cases were too complex and needed longer.

Chief Constable Giles York referred to Mr Barclay’s case as he argued that rushed investigations would “see more cases failing at court”.

Speaking to Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne in a publically broadcast meeting, he said: “My concern around this is that if we bring in statutory limitations on it you are going to be affecting the more complex cases – often those affecting the safety of individuals.

“A huge number of cases go through in less than six months, it is the minority that take more than six months.”

He added that he would not want officers to be tied up in court arguing for bail extensions.

As at December 15 last year, 2,264 people were on bail from Sussex Police, according to figures released to The Argus, against 33,000 people arrested during the year.

Of those, 102 were given an initial bail period of longer than six months.

The force’s Freedom of Information department told The Argus it could not provide figures for those who had been re-bailed to a total of more than six months. The Argus regularly sees cases in which suspects are re-bailed.

Home Secretary Theresa May has said that being under investigation puts suspects under huge stress and extensions should be decided by magistrates.

Gerard Maye, founder of Brighton solicitors Gerard Maye Legal, told The Argus he was concerned about the effect on suspects of long bail periods.

He said: “It cannot be right that people have to remain on bail for an extremely long time without knowing their fate.

“Often being on bail can have far-reaching personal and professional consequences.

“I have no doubt the police are stretched but, equally, at the end of this process there is an individual who has to be thought of.”

Mr Barclay is due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on February 15.

He is also charged with failing to disclose a computer password key.