A 36-year-old man from Billingshurst has been handed a seven-and-a-half-year extended sentence at Lewes Crown Court after exposing himself in view of a primary school and sexually abusing a girl under the age of 13.
Reginald Chan, formerly of Carpenters, Billingshurst, appeared for sentence on 22 July 2026 following an extensive public protection inquiry codenamed Operation Colwell, led by Sussex Police.
The prosecution outlined that the police investigation began in early November 2022 when parents walking their children to a nearby primary school in Billingshurst reported seeing an adult male standing completely naked in the window of a residential property overlooking the school gates.
Sussex Police officers identified the property as Chan’s residence and placed him under arrest. During searches of the address, which officers noted was maintained in squalid conditions, investigators conducted extensive sift operations through personal belongings, seizing more than 50 separate computer hard drives, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
Digital forensic analysis of the seized hardware exposed extensive criminality. In addition to repositories of child sexual abuse material, prohibited images, extreme pornography, and voyeurism files, detectives uncovered video recordings documenting Chan carrying out serious sexual assaults against a young female child known to him, who was under the age of 13.
Chan was subsequently made subject to a Sexual Risk Order prohibiting him from possessing unauthorised digital media and devices. However, when officers executed further enforcement checks and re-arrested him, Chan was found in active possession of additional electronic hardware, leading to 14 separate charges for breaching court orders.
In September 2025, Chan stood trial at Lewes Crown Court where a jury found him guilty of three counts of exposure. Ahead of his final sentencing hearing, Chan entered guilty pleas to 23 further offences on the indictment, comprising:
Three counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13
Three counts of possessing indecent images of children
One count of possessing prohibited images of children
One count of possessing extreme pornography
One count of voyeurism
14 counts of breaching a Sexual Risk Order
Speaking following the conclusion of the case, Detective Chief Inspector Kay Hutchings said: “This has been a complex investigation after concerns were raised about Chan’s behaviour. We take reports of sexual offending extremely seriously and after his initial arrest in 2022, Chan was subject to strict bail conditions and did not have access to children. Anyone who has information or concerns of further offences committed by Chan is urged to report them to Sussex Police, quoting Operation Colwell. Chan has now been convicted and is serving a custodial sentence. He has also been made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will prevent him having access to children and also restricts his access to computers and electronic devices without supervision.”
Passing sentence on 22 July 2026, the Crown Court judge designated Chan a dangerous offender and imposed an extended determinate sentence of seven-and-a-half years. Chan was ordered to serve five-and-a-half years in immediate custody before being eligible to apply for parole, with an additional extended licence period of two years subject to strict probation supervision in the community.
The court further imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) prohibiting Chan from having unsupervised contact with children and severely restricting his use and ownership of digital hardware. Chan was also ordered to comply with lifelong notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register and barred indefinitely from regulated work involving children or vulnerable adults.
Under the provisions of Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, all child victims and complainants connected to criminal proceedings are protected by automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity. Publishing, broadcasting, or disseminating any details, names, addresses, educational facilities, or photographs capable of leading to public identification is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Chan stood convicted of:
Three counts of sexual assault on a child under 13
Three counts of exposure
Three counts of possessing indecent images of children
Possession of prohibited images of children
Possession of extreme pornography
Voyeurism
14 counts of breaching a Sexual Risk Order
Sentencing outcome and statutory measures:
Seven-and-a-half-year extended determinate sentence (five-and-a-half years’ custody and two years on extended licence)
Indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO)
Mandatory notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for life under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
Permanent barring from working with children or vulnerable adults (Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists)
Strict post-custodial statutory licence supervision conditions enforceable upon release from custody
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