Two men, Lewis Day and Daryl Brown, have been jailed for attacking a waiter who tried to return their friend’s lost phone, leaving him for dead in an alleyway.
According to Daily Mail, the incident happened on December 16, 2023, at Whitstable railway station in the United Kingdom.
The victim, a man in his 50s, noticed the phone left behind by the duo’s female friend and attempted to hand it over to Day, who crossed the platform to retrieve it.
However, Brown mistakenly believed the waiter was trying to steal the phone and threw a beer can at him. The victim threw it back, prompting both men to chase him out of the station.
In a nearby alleyway, Day repeatedly stabbed the victim, leaving him with serious injuries. The two attackers then returned to the station, where a witness overheard them arguing about the stabbing. Day boarded a train, while Brown and their friend stayed behind.
Concerned by what he had heard, the witness left the station, found the injured victim in the alleyway, and flagged down help. Emergency services took the victim to a hospital in London, where he received treatment for life-threatening injuries.
Lewis Day, 26, was arrested on the train with blood still on his hands. When questioned, he casually said, “Just had a fight.” Brown, 33, was arrested on the station steps.
Both men were charged after police gathered witness statements and CCTV evidence. Following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court, Day was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and sentenced to 14 and a half years in prison, with an additional three and a half years on license. Brown was convicted of unlawful wounding and sentenced to three and a half years.
Detective Constable Matthew Burridge of Kent Police described the attack as “horrific” and praised the witness who found the victim and provided critical evidence.
“These two men seemed completely unconcerned about leaving the victim to die. It’s thanks to the actions of a brave member of the public that we are not dealing with a fatality,” Burridge said. “I hope the victim and his family find some relief knowing these men are off the streets.”
