Family of Wayne Chester, killed outside McDonald's in Maidstone, disgusted by killer's knife attack in Sittingbourne
05:00, 23 October 2021
updated: 09:56, 23 October 2021
The family of a man who died after a savage punch to the head have spoken of their disgust as his 'feral' killer is locked up again after stabbing a teenager.
Father-of-three Wayne Chester, from Maidstone, was killed in September 2017 outside McDonald's in Week Street, with a then 16-year-old Andre King being found guilty of manslaughter.
He was released from his prison sentence of three years and three months in 2019 and moved to Sittingbourne, where he stabbed his latest victim in June this year.
Maidstone Crown Court heard how King, now 20, threw on a stab-proof vest and then chased after his 16-year-old victim shouting 'Who's got a knife then?' before striking him with the blade, leaving him with a wound and permanent scar.
The victim told police he ran home, believing he was going to die.
King's latest actions saw him slapped with an eight-year extended jail sentence.
News of King's violence came as a shock and a hammer blow to Mr Chester's sister Naomi White.
She said: "King should have thought himself lucky he had a second chance when he was first sentenced. That is something Wayne, sadly, never got.
"He is clearly feral and has never shown any remorse or any desire to change.
"Ironically, while he hasn't claimed a life this time round, his sentence is longer than what he got for Wayne.
"Myself and his children always felt the 'one punch killer' tagline that went with Andre gave him an honour and a status.
"We also feel strongly he should have been sentenced according to adult guidelines and had a tougher sentence.
"At 16 you are old enough to know what you are doing and if you're old enough to do this sort of crime you are old enough to do the time."
Mrs White described a nightmare four years since losing her brother, with protracted discussions over probate and with the Parole Board over King's release.
Since then, Mr Chester's eldest son, Connor, and his girlfriend have had a son, and while bringing joy, there is a sadness Mr Chester, who lived in Boxley Road, never got to hear the couple were expecting.
She had to produce a victim impact statement around the time King was released and told authorities she believed he wouldn't change his violent ways.
But news of the latest incident came as a shock, as the family only found out what had happened by reading the story on KentOnline.
'If King had just got a tougher sentence for killing Wayne, he wouldn't have been free to do this.'
"We are surprised to say the least," she added. "It seems as if all the support and communication for us as a family stopped on his release.
"I just thought someone would have let us know what was happening.
"The main thing we want to say is we just send our best to this latest family. It is a godsend he is not seriously injured but of course there will be a pyschological impact.
"It is so sad another family has been caught up in an aftermath. If King had just got a tougher sentence for killing Wayne, he wouldn't have been free to do this."
King has now received an immediate four-year jail term for the Sittingbourne knife attack and the judge added another four years to be served after his release.
He had admitted wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article.
King struck out at 50-year-old Mr Chester when he remonstrated with him and other youths congregating by the doors of McDonald’s in Maidstone.
He fell to the ground and died soon afterwards from a combination of brain injury, cardiac arrest and blunt force trauma, and associated complications.
King claimed he felt he was being confronted by Mr Chester, who had been out for the evening with friends and family, but a judge told him he had 'no justification whatsoever' to feel that was the case.
Last week, Judge Julian Smith ruled that King was a dangerous offender who posed a significant risk of harm to the public.
Investigating officer police constable Michael Nolan said: ‘King clearly did not learn his lesson from his previous conviction.
"He is clearly a dangerous individual who has no hesitation in inflicting serious injuries on others."
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