A man wanted by police for over six years has finally faced justice and received his sentence.
Zilvinas Zelekauskas was detained after an incident on December 2, 2018, where he threw bricks at another individual wielding a knife on Fydell Street in Boston.
After he missed a court hearing in August 2019, the magistrate’s court in Boston issued a warrant for his arrest, which remained unexecuted until he voluntarily surrendered in April.
During the court session at Lincoln Crown Court, it was revealed that Zelekauskas, now 30, had left authorities puzzled for such a long period before surrendering. He was sentenced to complete 130 hours of community service and ordered to pay £200 in costs.
Formerly residing on Taylor Close, Boston, Zelekauskas had already admitted to two charges: possessing an offensive weapon in a public space and threatening behavior that was intended to incite fear. Following his return to custody, he confessed to an additional charge of failing to surrender after being on the run for 71 months.
The day of the altercation was particularly tumultuous, with Zelekauskas appearing bloodied and allegedly intoxicated. Witnesses reported another individual arming himself with a spade amid the chaos.
Judge James House KC, in his remarks, acknowledged the lengthy time since the incident occurred, expressing hope that Zelekauskas felt remorse for his actions. However, he clarified that Zelekauskas was not the primary instigator of the conflict.
“Incidents like this, where a knife is brandished in public, are always serious, and your response of throwing bricks only escalated the situation,” the judge stated.
In Zelekauskas’s defense, attorney Leanne Summers mentioned that he finally decided to approach the police after learning they were seeking to talk to him regarding the incident.
Judge House expressed confusion as to why Zelekauskas had delayed his surrender, referring to it as “a bit of a mystery,” suggesting he may have put it out of his mind once no one pursued him actively.
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