A knife-wielding pub-goer who took his aggression out on fellow customers, staff and police officers has been jailed for 17 months.
Sam Wood, 29, of no fixed address, produced a blade at the County Hotel, Ashford, on the evening of Thursday 29 July 2021.
Kent Police officers attended the pub at around 11.45pm following reports Wood had been threatening people with the knife and behaving in an erratic fashion.
He was initially compliant after being arrested in the beer garden at the back of the premises, and showed the officers where he had disposed of a bag containing the knife along with a small quantity of cannabis.
Wood’s mood changed however when he was led to a police van, where he began to act aggressively and spit at the officers. He also attempted to headbutt one.
After being interviewed in custody and charged in relation to the offences committed, Wood was immediately recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence in relation to a separate conviction.
Guilty
He later pleaded guilty to affray, possession of a knife in a public place, assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage to a prison cell and possession of cannabis, and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday 28 October 2021.
Investigating officer PC Bryony Evans of Kent Police said: ‘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.’