Sussex Police are refusing to investigate a hit-and-run accident because they say it was not serious enough.

Mick Griffiths was driving his company minibus to work when a car rammed him and drove off.

He reported the accident to the police and gave them the other driver's registration number.

He was stunned when they told him the crash did not meet their criteria for investigation.

The police said people and money were allocated according to Force Performance Plan priorities and focused on burglary, violent crime, car crime, reducing road deaths and cutting disorder in the community.

A letter to Mr Griffiths from Sandra Ward, office manager of the Sussex Police central ticket and summons unit at Shoreham, said: "A decision has been made that Brighton division will not pursue this inquiry as this is not a priority matter.

"This may be disappointing for you but I would encourage you to seek alternative means to resolve this matter to your satisfaction."

Mr Griffiths, of North Place, Brighton, said: "It seems they are only bothering to investigate fashionable crimes like mobile phone thefts because they make the news.

"This is policing by formula and it is not good enough. This guy could have been on his way back from a burglary, he could have had penalty points, or he could have been drunk."

Leaving the scene of an accident and not reporting an accident to police within 24 hours is against the law. Offenders can be sentenced to up to six months in prison and or face a fine of up to £5,000.

If prosecuted, a guilty party would also receive between five and ten penalty points and could potentially be banned from driving.

Transport manager Mr Griffiths, 49, was told to produce his licence and insurance details when he reported the incident.

A police spokesman said some crimes were "low priority" but added every case was judged on its merits.

He said: "Police officers must use their discretion not to allow their time and attention to be taken up by minor crimes.

"Even if we don't put resources into investigating specific crimes, they are still recorded, enabling us to target likely offenders."

He conceded a hit-and-run incident was car crime, one of the priorities. But he said: "This is the real world and we are working with finite resources.

"Lots of calls come into the police. People have to understand that we can't do everything.

"The performance plan is set by the Sussex Police Authority. It has to take account of Home Office ministerial priorities and also the results of local consultation with communities.

"In Mr Griffiths's case, the criteria not to pursue further investigation would have been that no one was injured.

"The whole point is that priorities - reducing road deaths, cutting violent crime and so on - are set in consultation with the public. They say what the priorities are and that's where we put most resources."