Lincs: Judge has criticised checks on serious criminals from the EU

Raimondas Jakstas, 26, was allowed to move to Lincolnshire “without hindrance” despite just serving a sentence for murder in his native country.

Lincoln Crown Cout heard Jakstas armed himself with a large kitchen knife after his terrified neighbour, Steve Foster, asked him not to wake up his children at 10.30pm.

Mr Foster, who lived in flat above Jakstas, was forced to barricade his door with bicycles after Jakstas appeared at the entrance to his home.

As Mr Foster tried to ring the police Jakstas thrust the knife through his letter box and slashed it from side to side, but Mr Foster escaped injury.

It was the second time in the same day that police had been called to deal with Jakstas after he was earlier spotted throwing firecrackers in the street and abusing passing motorists.

Jakstas, who was just 16-years-old when he was convicted of a murder in Lithuania, admitted charges of possessing a bladed article in public and threatening behaviour.

Before passing sentence on Jakstas, Judge Heathsaid: “This case highlights a matter that is a legitimate public concern. If someone in this country is sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, and life imprisonment is the only sentence that can be passed for murder in this country, then once they are released they are subject to licence for the rest of their life and they are monitored.”

“That does not appear to be the case with those who are convicted of murder in the country of your origin.”

“It appears on release from prison, having served a sentence of nine years for murder, you were able to come in to this country without any hindrance, and subsequently live here without any monitoring.”

The court heard Jakstas became involved in a neighbour dispute with Mr Foster after moving in to a block of flats in Norfolk Street, Boston.

Police were twice called out to deal with the Lithuanian on 13th March, this year.

Jailing Jakstas for two years Judge Heath added: “What you did was behave in an aggressive and unpleasant manner.”