St Leonards shopkeeper suffers facial wounds in attack

Police said they are appealing for witnesses to the incident, in which they said the staff member was preventing a suspected shoplifter from leaving the shop on Kings Road when he was assaulted, causing a wound to his face that required stitches.

The suspect walked into a second shop on London Road, where he was also challenged for shoplifting and then reported to have racially abused the shopkeeper, police added.

The suspect is described as a young man wearing grey trousers, a grey top and a black hooded jumper.

Officers investigating all reported offences would like to speak to anyone who was in the area between 1pm and 2pm on January 14 and saw what happened, or who might have captured any relevant CCTV, mobile phone, or dash cam footage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police online or by calling 101 quoting serial 669 of 14/01.