'˜Cowardly' man who stabbed bouncer in chest after being thrown out of Wellingborough bar jailed

John Flack, aged 49, was ejected from Raffs Bar in Wellingborough after “invading the personal space” of two females in the late-night venue.

Northampton Crown Court heard Flack was escorted by the bouncer out of the venue at about 3.50am on November 29 last year.

Jonathan Dunne, prosecuting, said Flack was removed to the outside of the venue with “minimal fuss”.

However, CCTV cameras outside the venue showed Flack walked a couple of steps down the street before going back into the venue.

Mr Dunne said a different bouncer. who was standing with his back to the entrance holding a door open, was stabbed just below his armpit by Flack.

Flack ran off and the bouncer chased him and brought him to the floor. A Special Constable was quickly on the scene and took away the knife.

Mr Dunne said the wound to the bouncer’s chest required 13 stitches and he suffered a loss of earnings as he was unable to work for a long time after the incident.

In police interview, Flack said he stabbed the member of door staff because he was “angry” about being thrown out by the other bouncer.

Mr Dunne said: “The prosecution say this was a cowardly attack on a man who was only doing his job.”

In a victim impact statement the bouncer said it was the worst incident he had dealt with in his 18 years in the job.

Maxine Krone, mitigating, said Flack was an alcoholic and drug user who had “deep remorse” for his act of “alcohol induced madness.”.

Ms Krone said Flack had the knife on him as he had been doing some manual work earlier in the day.

His Honour Judge Mayo said it was a “cowardly” attack and exacerbated by the fact Flack had the knife in a public place.

Flack, he pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possessing a knife in a public place, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.