Judge admits he is frightened of being on the streets late at night

A judge has admitted that he is too scared to walk the streets at night because of alcohol-related violence.

Judge Jeremy Carey called for action against pubs and clubs that sell cheap alcohol, claiming they were fuelling 'grisly' knife crime.

His comments came as Daniel Beresford, 23, was found not guilty of stabbing Andreas Fantousi in Folkestone, Kent, on December 13 last year.

Maidstone Crown Court was told how the defendant had binged on super-strength Stella lager, whisky and Sambuca 'at cheap rates which encouraged him to get blind drunk'.

Addressing the jury, Judge Carey said: 'This case is an absolute model of all the grisly things we read about and see day after day after day.

'It is the reason why you and I are fearful of being on the streets late at night.

'Something should be done about alcohol being bought at low prices and consumed over long periods of time, which depressingly leads to violence.

'This could so easily have been an allegation of murder.'

Chief Inspector Ian Hall, of Kent Police, added: 'We would urge club managers to think carefully about the possible effects of pricing drinks.

'Alcohol could not only damage the health of its customers but also have a real impact on the levels of anti-social behaviour.'