JAMES GREEN

A man from Lancing has received a prison sentence after he stalked a woman and subsequently assaulted her teenage relative.

James Green, aged 37 and residing on Brighton Road in Lancing, carried out an extended campaign of harassment and stalking against a woman in her 30s over the course of more than a year.

He vandalized her property by bleaching her clothes and bedding, stole her jewelry, and then moved into a residence very close to her home.

Green also caused damage to her vehicle, affixed offensive posters to her garden fence, and attempted to persuade her teenage relative to steal her phone on his behalf.

His contact with the young girl persisted, during which he engaged in grooming, sending sexual messages while falsely claiming to be part of a gang.

In August 2023, Green raped the girl at his residence, prompting a police report and his subsequent arrest.

Despite being on bail with court-imposed restrictions not to contact her, Green breached these conditions by intercepting her in public and providing her with a phone to communicate with him.

Over a period of four months, he made over 1,600 calls and messages, including sending explicit videos of himself, encouraging her to take her own life, and pressuring her to give false testimony denying the rape.

When she refused, he threatened her with consequences from his fabricated gang.

In December 2024, Sussex Police obtained charges against Green and he was remanded into custody.

He faced a trial at Lewes Crown Court and on June 24 was convicted of multiple offences including rape of a minor, sexual communication with a child, stalking with serious alarm and distress, causing a child to observe a sexual act, criminal damage, theft, inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and perverting the course of justice.

On September 11, the same court sentenced him to 18 years imprisonment—12 years in prison followed by six years on extended license—and imposed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order along with restraining orders against both victims.

Detective Inspector Harry Doyle commented: “James Green inflicted profound trauma on both victims.

I want to commend them for their courage and resilience throughout this process.

I also thank the investigation team for their thorough work in bringing Green to justice and supporting the victims.”