BREAKING NEWS: Rustington family guilty of affray

Abraham Beaney Snr, 53, Abraham Beaney Jnr, 30, and John Beaney, 23, all of Worthing Road, Rustington, were found guilty of affray this afternoon (June 2) at Chichester Crown Court after a trial last week.

The trial heard from the prosecution how Abraham Beaney Snr’s wife, Linda, had argued and fought with her cousin Lorraine Edwards during the afternoon of February 2, 2013.

After the fight was broken up, Miss Edwards went to her mother’s home in Beech Way, Angmering, with her boyfriend Adam Scott.

Jurors heard ten minutes later, the trio turned up outside armed with baseball bats and set about smashing up Mr Scott’s Mercedes, as well as a Honda parked there, causing £1,700 worth of damage.

According to evidence presented by the prosecution, Abraham Beaney tried to smash his way through the kitchen door, shouting he was going to ‘kill’ Miss Edwards.

The family ran upstairs and barricaded themselves inside a bedroom, at the same time phoning the police.

The trio drove away when they realised the police had been called.

All three claimed to have been elsewhere at the time of the attack, which the prosecution said was a lie.

Abraham Beaney Snr and John Beaney were arrested at Worthing Road later that same day, with Abraham Beaney Jnr visiting a police station the next day.

Judge Christopher Parker QC postponed sentencing until around July 14, to allow for a pre-sentencing report to be prepared.

Although the family were bailed, they were warned not to contact any of the witnesses involved in the case and told there was a chance they could face a custodial sentence.