Knifeman who slashed rival’s neck is jailed
Victim survived attack ‘only by chance’
A father-of-two who slashed the throat of a rival in a busy town centre has been jailed for 13-anda-half years.
Rodney Geisha cut Harry Cadwallader with a knife in February 2021 after a bust-up over the victim’s girlfriend. The 51-year-old also slashed the face of Harry's brother, Jack, during the row in central Maidstone.
A jury previously found him guilty of wounding with intent, causing grievous bodily harm, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing a knife in public.
Geisha, of Fairmeadow, Maidstone, returned to Maidstone
Crown Court this month for sentencing.
He began complaining as soon as he was brought into court and stormed out within two minutes.
Prosecutor Martin Yale had been telling the judge of the effects on the victim when the 51-year-old shouted: “I cannot listen to this...what about how I am feeling?”
He then walked out the dock and refused to return despite an appeal from his barrister. As the case re-started a note was sent to the judge reporting that Geisha wanted to leave the building and return to prison. Sentencing him in his absence, Judge Julian Smith ruled Geisha posed a danger to the public and ruled he would have to serve four years on licence when he is released. The court heard how at around 3.30pm Geisha bumped into the brothers, who had been out drinking. He knew Harry through doing physical training with him.
Mr Yale explained: “The two
had fallen out when Harry came to believe that Geisha had made a pass at his then girlfriend.”
Mr Yale said there had been a “verbal exchange” after the two clashed and a police officer spoke with them and they had separated.
“However, later that evening their paths crossed again when Geisha seemed to be trying to goad Harry about his previous interactions with Harry’s girlfriend. Geisha was carrying a knife and during the altercation cut Harry’s neck before
slashing the face of Jack.” Roderick Jones, defending, said it was a deliberate but not sustained attack “caused in the heat of the moment”.
When Geisha was in custody, a former partner of Harry began receiving texts from an unknown number.
“These messages clearly related to the case and were threatening and intended to persuade Harry to change his evidence,” said Mr Yale.
The prosecutor said the calls were traced to Donna Meflah, 49, also from Fairmeadow, who was jailed for 21 months for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
After sentencing, police investigator Shelley Rainer said: “The injury suffered by the second victim required surgery and it is only by 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.”