The number of complaints upheld against Sussex Police has jumped by almost 140 per cent in five years.

The number of complaints made has risen by more than 100 per cent in the same period.

It means Sussex Police has one of the worst complaints records in England and Wales.

But the force said it recorded complaints differently from other forces, centrally instead of on a divisional basis, and expected the figures for complaints received to fall by 30 per cent this year.

The force, which is battling to repair its reputation in the wake of the James Ashley shooting, received 1,814 complaints in the year to March 2001.

It was third highest number in the country, behind the Metropolitan force and West Midlands Police.

It continued a trend of spiralling complaints since 1997, when the figure stood at 864.

Last year 79 complaints were upheld, according to Home Office figures released in a written parliamentary answer yesterday.

This was the second highest figure in the country, after the Met.

The figures are a blow to the Sussex force, which is looking forward to the publication next month of what is expected to be a positive report by Her Majesty's Inspector.

Home Office Minister John Denham said the report would "identify candidly the damage to the operational effectiveness of the force which followed the shooting of James Ashley and the consequent intensive investigations."

But Mr Denham revealed it would also conclude that the recovery process was now "well under way".

Mr Ashley, 39, was shot dead in an ill-fated police raid on his flat in St Leonards in 1998.

Criticism from Home Secretary David Blunkett over Sussex's handling of the case led to the early retirement of then chief constable Paul Whitehouse.

A spokesman for Sussex Police argued that the percentage of complaints upheld against Sussex, 4.35 per cent, was only slightly above the national average of 3.1 per cent.