A Reading woman said she is afraid of returning to the town centre after she was kicked in the stomach by a knifeman following a ‘dangerous’ brawl between rival gangs outside a popular pub.

The man who kicked her in the stomach, Kevor Shakes, was today jailed after he was convicted of assault following a trial last week.

Shakes, who is 28 and formerley of Kingsley Close, had already admitted to possession of a blade after he was caught on CCTV waving a knife around in a fight between two groups outside The Boundary pub on August 9, 2021.

A woman who ‘intervened’ in the argument, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, was then kicked in the stomach by Shakes.

She fell backwards and hit her head and was taken to hospital for treatment but did not suffer serious injuries.

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In a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Jon Sank, the woman said: “Since all this happened I feel anxious going into Readint town centre.

“As part of my job I have to go to Reading town centre and I feel like I can’t do this because of how scared and anxious I feel.

“It’s meant I have missed some hours of work which means I wasn’t paid as much.

“I do not feel comfortable walking in public by myself.

“When he [Shakes] is released I will not feel comfortable living in Reading because I will be constantly worrying.”

At Shakes’ sentencing, Mr Sank told the court of the defendant’s various previous convictions, which included criminal damage, the strangling, punching and biting of a woman and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Elizabeth Cobb, defending, suggested none of Shakes’ previous convictions were relevant to the knife possession offence.

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She also claimed the injuries the woman suffered were ‘very minor’.

However, she said: “He [Shakes] has said to me today he is sorry he was there [at the scene of the incident] in the first place and he is sorry to her [the victim] for her injuries.”

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Real said a ‘number of different people’ were involved in the brawl outside the pub at ‘different times’ on the evening of the incident.

She said: “It appeared to involve two rival groups it is unclear to me what the exact background was.

“You brandished a knife in the street towards other males.

“It was a very dangerous situation to be in and a risk to everyone regardless of what side of the argument they were on.”

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Judge Real then described how Shakes kicked the woman in the stomach after she ‘intervened’ in the incident, but also conceded she was not specifically targeted.

She continued: “Your kick caused her to fall backwards and hit her head.

“She now suffers from increased anxiety and is still concerned about what you might do.”

Adding: “You have expressed remorse and it is clear you now regret the events of that evening.

“Your children will feel the impact of your imprisonment.”

Shakes was jailed for 21 months at a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, February 9.

He will serve half this sentence behind bars before being eligible for release.

Judge Real also imposed a ten-year restraining order barring Shakes from contact with his victim.