Law breaking pensioners have been arrested for hundreds of serious crimes including fraud, sex offences and violent attacks.

Since 2004, 1,420 arrests were made by Sussex Police of over-65s across the county.

They include driving offences, firearms, drug crimes and sex attacks.

The figures reveal a 93-year-old in Eastbourne being arrested for criminal damage, a 73-year-old in the Arun district cautioned for a firearm offence, a 68-year-old in Lewes cautioned for burglary and an 80-year-old cautioned for fraud.

The figures were obtained by The Argus following a freedom of information request.

The majority of the crimes committed were violent or driving offences.

There were 374 arrests for violent offences and 340 for driving crimes.

Among the other crimes committed were affray, fraud, forgery and burglary.

Three arrests were made for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders, a 65-year-old and two 72-year-olds.

In 518 cases no further action was taken, 427 charges were bought against the offender and 221 people were given cautions.

The oldest arrestee was 93, who was arrested for violent offences.

There were 1,420 arrests in total, just 0.08 per cent of all arrests made in the county. Across the force there were 175,000 arrests made by Sussex Police over the same period.

According to Sussex Police, the majority of the violent offences took place in nursing homes where the victim was a carer attacked by a resident.

Chief Inspector Lawrence Hobbs leads the Adur division of Sussex Police. One of its residents, Victor Causabon-Vincent, hit the headlines in 2004 after he became one of the country's oldest recipients of an antisocial behaviour order.

Mr Hobbs said: "It's really unusual for us to arrest old aged pensioners.

"It's so rare that it happens. The kind of arrests we make are generally for antisocial behaviour, which generally involves a much younger age group, and crimes connected to drink and drugs, stealing and burglary. Again, we generally arrest the younger generation for these crimes.

"We do have a fairly elderly population in the Adur district but they are pretty well-behaved."

Victor Causabon-Vincent, of Hillrise Avenue in Sompting, was 72 when magistrates in Worthing handed him the order, which he subsequently broke, in 2004.

Causabon-Vincent was given a two year order which prohibited him from harassing, abusing or threatening other or obstructing access.

Earlier this year, 73-year-old William Crockford, of Nevill Road, Hove, admitted causing £14,000 damage to cars parked in Brighton. He waged his campaign of vandalism after growing angry with office workers taking parking spaces.

A lovestruck pensioner stalked a Kylie Minogue impersonator. Philip Russill, 68, of Sorrell Drive, Eastbourne, admitted bombarding his victim with love letters and cards during the two-year campaign of harassment.

In response to the number of arrests made for driving offences, a spokesman for Help the Aged said: "It's a common misconception that old people cause a lot of accidents. In fact, this isn't the case.

"Proportionality they are responsible for very few. The majority of crashes are caused by young men under the age of 25."

For more information about crime in your area visit the local information section of this website.