A teenage gang member who was involved in "horrific" fights in broad daylight outside an Ipswich pub and in a "family" park has had his prison sentence slashed on appeal.
Daniel Kovalkov was 16 when he was arrested as part of the J Block gang following the fights, as well as for his involvement in the supply of cocaine and cannabis in the town.
He was one of eight defendants sentenced in April at Ipswich Crown Court for a total of 26 offences, with Kovalkov admitting supplying the class A and B drugs and two counts of affray.
Judge Martyn Levett told the court at the time that this kind of behaviour makes the town “become eerily silent and deserted”, and sentenced Kovalkov to 42 months in custody, with 30 months for the drug offences and a further year for the fights.
However, a hearing was granted at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, December 5, which found both the sentence and its length was "manifestly excessive and unlawful".
The court heard Kovalkov was part of a "tinpot drugs operation" and did not have the "ability or understanding" to be able to run it himself, and that the now 18-year-old, had a "peripheral role" in the fights.
Mekhi Ebanks, 17 at the time, stabbed a rival gang member in the back with a machete outside the Cock and Pye pub in Upper Brook Street, Ipswich, on June 2, 2022, with Kovalkov throwing a glass bottle which smashed on the pavement.
Weeks later, another violent incident took place at Maple Park, near Victoria Street, again involving a machete, in which Kovalkov threw a bicycle.
The court also found Kovalkov's role in the drugs operation to be less than believed during sentencing in April, adding he was "susceptible to the influence of others".
Judge Robin Spencer said Kovalkov was involved "through naivety and exploitation", and said: "The Maple Park area of Ipswich had been regenerated following gang violence and turned into a family park with play areas for children."
He added that Judge Levett was "hampered by a lack of full information" at the time of his sentence in April.
Kovalkov's original sentence was quashed, with a new 18 month detention and training order imposed for the cocaine offence, as well as a 12 month order for the cannabis charge to run concurrently.
A further six month detention and training order was imposed to run consecutively for the Upper Brook Street fight, with the same order in place for the Maple Park attack to run concurrently.
The court heard he has already served the equivalent of more than 15 months since being sentenced, with additional time of around five months to be credited for his time under curfew while on bail.
In April, Judge Levett had described the drugs ring as a “very well-oiled machine” that acted efficiently within the community to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
He said getting involved can “destroy families and communities” and lead to “other matters of public concern in the streets of Ipswich”, leading to those embroiled in dealing becoming involved in other forms of violence.
Gerson Assuncao, 22, of Burrell Road, Ipswich, admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, affray, possessing a knife, possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.
Ethan Smith, 22, of Cardiff Avenue, Ipswich, admitted being involved in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs, while Matas Vaitekunas, 20, of Victoria Street, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to supplying class A and B drugs, affray and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Michael Crumlish, 27, of Southgreen Gardens, Clacton-on-Sea, admitted having an offensive weapon in a public place, after having a machete in the Maple Park incident.
Three 17-year-olds were also sentenced - Kovalkov, Ebanks and Laurynas Talacka - with Judge Levett allowing the trio to be named publicly in the interests of open justice.
Ebanks admitted wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm in relation to the Cock and Pye stabbing.
Talacka, along with Bobby Walters, 26, of Victoria Street, Ipswich, admitted affray.
Assuncao was sentenced to a total of five years and 10 months in custody, Ebanks and Vaitekunas to three years, and Smith to 44 months.
Crumlish was handed a sentence of 16 months suspended for two years, while Walters was given a sentence of 12 months suspended for two years.
Talacka was handed a nine-month rehabilitation order with 30 hours of unpaid work.
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