Jail for knifeman who made 'slit' gestures (From Dorset Echo)

Jail for knifeman who made 'slit' gestures

1:30pm Saturday 5th January 2013 in News By Harry Hogger

A POLISH man who threatened a father at his Weymouth home has been jailed.

Hubert Arkadiusz Galka, 27, appeared at Dorchester Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting charges of affray and possessing a bladed article. He was sentenced to 40 weeks in prison.

The court was told on June 3 Andrew Robinson and a friend were walking along the Rodwell Trail at about 2.30pm when they were approached by two Polish men who appeared to be drunk.

Prosecutor Anita Gibson-Lee said the men were asking for ‘weed’ and followed Mr Robinson as he walked on to his home nearby.

She said Mr Robinson was in his garden with his partner and children when Galka appeared at the gate and began kicking it.

Miss Gibson-Lee said: “He was threatening and aggressive towards Mr Robinson.”

She said at one point Galka attempted to climb over the gate and Mr Robinson had to physically restrain him.

Galka then left and Mr Robinson went inside with his family.

Miss Gibson-Lee said a few minutes later he saw the defendant standing outside with a large kitchen knife in his hand.

She said: “He stood outside Mr Robinson’s address gesturing with the knife with a slitting motion across his neck, shouting ‘you’re dead’.”

Police then arrived on the scene and Galka fled.

The knife was recovered after a neighbour saw the defendant dump it in a bin in Granville Road.

When Galka, of Grosvenor Road, Weymouth, was interviewed by police he said he had no recollection of the events.

Graham Cooke, in mitigation, said his client – who only had one previous conviction for a driving offence – still insisted that he had no memory of the incident and that the last thing he recalled was drinking on the beach some time before.

He added: “This was an isolated incident. It’s a one-off as far as he is concerned.”

Judge Roger Jarvis said: “The offence itself is deeply concerning.

“Members of the public are very worried when they hear about violent confrontations where a knife is present.

“The concern the public has is the greater when they learn that the person producing the knife is in drink.”