Blade-Wielding Drunk Ruins Night at Ashford Pub
Sam Wood, 29, with no fixed address, shocked revellers at the County Hotel in Ashford on the night of Thursday 29 July 2021 by brandishing a knife.
Threats and Chaos in the Beer Garden
Kent Police rushed to the scene around 11.45pm after reports Wood was threatening pub-goers with the blade and behaving erratically.
Wood initially cooperated when arrested in the beer garden, even showing officers where he’d dumped a bag holding the knife and a small stash of cannabis.
Violent Outburst and Immediate Prison Recall
Things turned nasty when Wood was led to the police van — he spat at officers and tried to headbutt one of them.
After being charged, he was immediately sent back to prison for breaking his licence conditions on a separate conviction.
Guilty Pleas and Tough Sentencing
At Canterbury Crown Court on 28 October 2021, Wood pleaded guilty to:
- Affray
- Possession of a knife in a public place
- Assaulting an emergency worker
- Criminal damage to a prison cell
- Possession of cannabis
PC Bryony Evans slammed Wood’s reckless behaviour:
“Knife crime is a serious matter and people should be free to enjoy a night at the pub without the likes of Sam Wood making threats towards them whilst armed with an offensive weapon. His actions were completely unacceptable and put many people in fear for their own safety. It is regrettable that he should commit such offences whilst on licence for a previous conviction, and I hope he spends the time he now has in prison to reflect on his decisions and take positive action to turn his life around.”
