Chichester Superdrug: Crown Prosecution Service authorises charges after teenager ‘restrained & handcuffed’

After a criminal investigation, two men are being summonsed following an incident at the Superdrug store in East Street, Chichester, on March 22 2023. At the time, two children were arrested after an altercation after a video was shared on social media

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised charges of false imprisonment and battery of a 15-year-old boy from Worthing against Jake De-Geus, 29, from Chichester and Edwin Hirst, 39, from Fareham in Hampshire.

Sussex police also say that Edwin Hirst has also been charged with a further offence of battery against a 16-year-old boy from Chichester. They are to appear before Worthing Magistrates’ Court on 24 October.

David Owen, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East said: “The charges were authorised by the CPS after receiving a full file of evidence from Sussex Police.

“Criminal proceedings against Mr De-Geus and Mr Hirst are now active, and they have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings.”

Following the incident six months ago, Superdrug tweeted: “An incident occurred today in our Chichester store between Chichester BID rangers and a group of young males they were monitoring. Unfortunately female staff were also assaulted. This is now a police matter, and we are offering our full assistance to Sussex police.”

However, the actions of security staff were criticised by some. The video appeared to show two civilian security staff employed by the Chichester Business Improvement District (BID) scheme restraining the teenager while one of them put plastic handcuffs on him and one knelt across his legs.