A jail term of seven and a half years has been imposed on a man formerly of an address in Herne Bay over offences including possession of an imitation firearm, robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, theft and affray.
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Mark Billingy was charged with multiple offences following investigations by East Kent CID and Canterbury’s Victim Based Crime Team between May and August 2023. The 47-year-old was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on 8 March 2024 for the offences. He was jailed for a total of seven and a half years and will serve an extended three years on licence following that term.
Offences
Billingy’s first offences took place on 23 May 2023, when he threatened a member of staff at a shop in William Street, leading to him being stopped by a local beat officer and found in possession of a knife. Two weeks later, on 6 June, Billingy got into an argument with a motorist in Beech Street, kicking the man’s car and waving a flick knife, putting the man and other drivers in fear and later the same month, he got into another argument with a group of men in Central Parade, to whom he made racist comments. He then returned to the scene, holding a BB gun and knife, while making threats towards them. Police attended the scene and Billingy was arrested at his home and charged the following day.
While on court bail on 27 August, Billingy went to a shop in Herne Bay High Street to shoplift and made threats of violence to a member of staff who challenged him. He was again arrested and charged with further offences the following day.
Protecting businesses
Sergeant Jonathan Sheehan, of Canterbury district’s Community Safety Unit, said:
‘Billingy was a persistent menace in Herne Bay town centre; carrying weapons and putting residents and shop workers in fear of violence.
‘Kent Police takes knife crime extremely seriously and I am glad the number of charges we managed to bring in this case has led to a lengthy prison sentence. I hope the people of Herne Bay feel safer knowing that he is no longer on the streets.’