Shoreham stabbing: Jordan Bell jailed for raid at Nicolson Drive

Jordan Bell was part of a group of four who vaulted a wall into the garden of a property in Nicolson Drive, Shoreham.

He burst into a summer house where he threatened Cerys Evans and Lewis Harrington with a weapon.

Then when Ms Evans’ father David rushed outside, he was stabbed in the chest during a struggle. He nearly died in hospital from a collapsed lung.

At Hove Crown Court Bell, 20, refused to give up the names of his accomplices and denied using any violence.

He claimed he was in-hock to an Albanian drugs gang, and that those gang members were the ones responsible for punching Ms Evans and stabbing Mr Evans.

But Mr Harrington recognised a distinctive Gucci belt worn by one of the masked attackers, who it was later revealed was Bell.

The distinctive Gucci belt worn by Jordan Bell which linked him to the violence

Blood from Mr Evans was also found on Bell’s hooded top from the burglary.

The jury found him guilty of aggravated burglary, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and possession of a bladed article.

Her Honour Judge Christine Henson QC said it was an “appalling”, “cowardly” and “unprovoked” attack as she jailed the defendant for seven years.

The scene in Nicolson Drive after the incident

The judge said: “Your role within the gang was demanding the money. You were holding a knife when you first burst into the garden and summer house, with such force that you kicked the door off its hinges.

“You took a knife to the scene and you were willing to use it, and you did so.”

Previously the court heard but rejected how there was an alleged drugs debt that Bell claimed he was sent to collect.

Bell and three others went to the property on February 11, Richard Hearnden, prosecuting, said Bell had told a “tissue of lies” about his involvement.

The scene in Nicolson Drive after the incident

He said: “Masked intruders burst into the garden of a family’s home in Shoreham. Those intruders hit a woman in the face so hard that blood was pouring from her.

“They stabbed her father in the best. Both were completely innocent people who seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“All of a sudden the glass and timber doors flew open, they had been kicked in off their hinges.

“Two men were outside hovering, and two men were standing opposite them wearing balaclavas.

“One had a knife in his right hand, the other man had a metal pole. They shouted ‘where’s the money?’”

Jordan Bell was jailed

Bell had refused to name his accomplices, but the jury heard initials of those involved may have also been another JB, RG and SP.

Rebecca Upton, defending, said Bell had a tough upbringing in care. His mother died when he was a boy, and his father effectively disowned him.

Bell, formerly of Grafton Gardens, Sompting, is now behind bars and must serve two-thirds of the seven year jail term before he can be released.