HASTINGS, ENGLAND – A man’s night out turned violent when he stabbed three people in an unprovoked attack at a late-night restaurant on Havelock Road. The incident occurred around 2:40 am on October 19, leaving all three victims requiring hospital treatment.
The assailant, Nicky Warnes, made threats to two men who were unknown to him before confronting them and stabbing them in the chest. A nearby woman intervened and was also stabbed in the arm during the altercation. One of the male victims suffered a collapsed lung as a result of the attack.
Warnes, 46, attempted to conceal the knife in a bin inside the restaurant, but law enforcement officers were able to recover the weapon. He was promptly arrested and charged with three counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, in addition to one count of possession of a bladed article in public.
At his court appearance in November, Warnes, who was of no fixed address, admitted to the charges. In March, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of eight years by Hove Crown Court. The lasting impact of the attack on the victims was described, with ongoing pain, nightmares, hospital treatment, and stab wounds affecting their lives.
Detective Sergeant Auryn Liddiard emphasized the severity of the incident, labeling it as an unprovoked and violent attack involving the use of a blade. Liddiard commended the intervention of a courageous woman and the quick response of police officers, which led to Warnes’s swift arrest.
The effectiveness of collecting evidence to demonstrate Warnes’s culpability in the stabbing and his subsequent guilty plea in court were highlighted. Liddiard expressed relief at the removal of a violent and dangerous offender from the streets, ensuring that he would serve a significant prison sentence for his actions.