Rodney Geisha carried out the knife assault following an earlier argument with the victims in the town centre.

The incident took place in Week Street, during the afternoon of 3 February 2021. Geisha pulled a knife from his waistband and caused a cut to the face of one of the men. When other people tried to intervene he took the opportunity to move behind the other victim and cause serious injuries to his neck with the same knife.

Geisha fled before emergency services arrived at the scene and both his targets required treatment at the hospital. Attending officers suspected Geisha was the suspect and attended his home address in Fairmeadow.

They found him at the property with cuts to his left hand and an injured thumb. He was arrested and then charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding and possessing a knife in a public place.

Geisha was later additionally charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice and witness intimidation. These counts related to attempts with one of his associates to intimidate two potential trial witnesses into changing their statements.

Geisha pleaded not guilty and was convicted after a 20-day trial at Maidstone Crown Court. On Friday 5 May 2023, the 51-year-old was sentenced to 17 and a half years.

Police Investigator Shelley Rainer said: ‘Geisha armed himself with a knife before going to Maidstone town centre and readily produced it when he became involved in an argument. The injury suffered by the second victim required surgery and it is only chance that he did not lose his life. This is due in no small part to the actions of an NHS worker who assisted with first aid until the arrival of paramedics. His attacker’s actions were truly appalling and the town will be a much safer place now he is serving a prison sentence.’