Knife-Wielding Drunk Bar Brawl in Maidstone Lands Man Behind Bars
A drink-fuelled rampage outside a Maidstone bar ended with a second man jailed for threatening door staff with a kitchen knife. Rimas Mickevicius, 29, pulled a blade during a showdown in Market Buildings in the early hours of January 5, 2019.
Violent Return After Being Kicked Out
Mickevicius and a friend had been kicked out around 3:45am for abusive behaviour. But instead of cooling off, they came back brandishing large knives and waving them at staff. Things quickly escalated when a stool was thrown to defend the victims—only for Mickevicius to hurl it back into a crowd of customers.
Quick Police Response Ends Knife Threat
The pair fled briefly but returned to menace staff yet again while still armed. Police arrived just in time to stop them escaping. The weapons were found discarded in a bin nearby.
Justice Served: Jail Time for Knife Crime
Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court, Mickevicius, formerly of West Ham, pleaded guilty to threatening with a blade in a public place. He was sentenced on January 16, 2020, to 15 months behind bars. His accomplice Tomas Kozeniauskas, 34, of no fixed address, was jailed for 22 months earlier in April 2019 for the same offence.
Maidstone Chief Inspector Ray Quiller said: “This latest sentence illustrates our absolute determination to deal robustly with those who carry knives on our streets. We are committed to protecting our communities from knife crime and the devastation it causes.”
“Removing these weapons from our streets is an absolute priority. We take a zero tolerance approach and will continue to pursue and prosecute offenders.”
