Man jailed for violent behaviour and knife possession on the Isle of Wight

A man has been jailed following a sustained period of violent behaviour in Shanklin.

On the afternoon of Friday 17 December 2021, police were called with reports that 35-year-old Ben Entwistle had turned up at an address in Oaklyn Gardens, Shanklin, with a knife.

Entwistle had attended a funeral earlier that day before heading to a wake at Shanklin Football Club, where he became drunk and violent and got into physical altercations with a number of people.

He was eventually thrown out and taken home, but returned armed with a serrated kitchen knife. The knife was taken off him after he was restrained by other people present.

Entwistle later attended the Oaklyn Gardens address – which was occupied by people known to him – with a knife, before proceeding to kick the door in attempts to gain entry. 

Armed officers were deployed and located Entwistle in Regent Street in the town with an injury to his head. After his arrest, he was searched and officers found two kitchen knives in a drawstring bag around his neck, as well as two bags of cannabis in his trouser pocket.

Entwistle, formerly of Westlake Avenue in Lake, was subsequently taken to hospital where he became abusive towards police, hospital staff and patients before threatening police with violence and racially abusing a police officer.

He was later charged with affray, possession of a bladed article in a public place, possession of cannabis, a racially aggravated public order offence, using threatening words and behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and using threatening words and behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence.

Entwistle admitted the offences on the first day of a trial which was due to start at Portsmouth Crown Court on 31 October 2022.

Appearing at the same court on Thursday 26 January 2023, he was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison.

Following the sentencing, PC Leah Fearn said: “This was a prolonged episode of violence and aggression directed at a number of people, including police and medical professionals.

“Entwistle armed himself with a knife, and also hurled racist abuse at a police officer during the course of his offending behaviour.

“His actions that night were shocking, and he is rightly paying the price for these. Violent behaviour will never be tolerated, and we take a particularly robust stance against those who carry knives.

“I hope this reassures the community that we will take action against those who behave in this awful manner.”