Knife-Wielding Drunk Causes Chaos in Shanklin
On the afternoon of Friday 17 December 2021, Ben Entwistle, 35, turned violent in Shanklin after a night of drinking. Police were called when he showed up at an Oaklyn Gardens address armed with a serrated kitchen knife.
From Funeral to Fury: Violence Erupts at Wake
Entwistle had attended a funeral earlier that day, then went to a wake at Shanklin Football Club. There, he got drunk and started fighting with several people before being thrown out. But the trouble didn’t end there.
He returned home, grabbed a knife, and then went back to the wake, where others wrestled the weapon from him.
Knife Incident Escalates to Door-Bashing
Later, Entwistle showed up at his acquaintances’ home in Oaklyn Gardens with a knife and began kicking the door in an attempt to break in.
Armed police tracked him down on Regent Street, where he was found with a head injury. A search uncovered two kitchen knives in a bag around his neck and two bags of cannabis in his pockets.
Sentence Delivered After Court Showdown
Entwistle, formerly of Westlake Avenue in Lake, was taken to hospital where he became abusive to staff and police. He also racially abused an officer and threatened violence.
Charged with:
- Affray
- Possession of a bladed article in a public place
- Possession of cannabis
- Racially aggravated public order offence
- Using threatening words and behaviour
He admitted the charges on the first day of his trial at Portsmouth Crown Court. On 26 January 2023, Entwistle was jailed for 2 years and 10 months.
“This was a prolonged episode of violence and aggression directed at a number of people, including police and medical professionals,” said PC Leah Fearn.
“Entwistle armed himself with a knife and hurled racist abuse at a police officer. His actions were shocking, and he is rightly paying the price. Violent behaviour will never be tolerated, especially when knives are involved. We will take robust action against offenders.”
