Rasen man jailed after knife attack in town centre

Steven Randall had earlier been involved in an argument with his wife outside their home in George Street, Market Rasen, which led to customers coming out of a nearby pub to assist Mrs Randall.

Robert Sandford, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that Randall confronted the group of people and pushed over one of the men.

Mr Sandford said: “The group were doing no more than trying to assist Mrs Randall.

“At this stage the defendant went back into his home and emerged with a kitchen knife which he started waving around and shouting.

“He became more and more agitated.”

As people tried to calm him down Randall threatened to stab one of the men.

Mr Sandford said that both Claire Stewart and Joshua Marriott were so concerned about the situation that they tried to disarm Randall.

During a struggle that followed, Miss Stewart received a serious injury to one of her fingers after the knife cut through the tendons while Mr Marriott received a less serious injury.

Eventually the knife was taken from Randall and he went back into his home, only to come out again and spark a further commotion. This time he was overpowered by a number of men who held him on the ground until police arrived.

The court was told that Miss Stewart later underwent an operation and has been left devastated by what happened.

Randall, 38, of George Street, Market Rasen, admitted charges of affray and possession of an offensive weapon arising out of the incident on September 9, 2016.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence on Friday (January 20), told Randall: “This was not a short-lived incident. At the very least you intended to frighten people and in the event two people sustained injury. It must be an immediate custodial sentence.”

Tony Stanford, in mitigation, said Randall was on medication for anxiety at the time and made the mistake of also drinking alcohol.

Mr Stanford said “Clearly he was negligent in taking that medication and consuming a large quantity of alcohol.

“He is extremely remorseful and he is ashamed of his actions.”