Lithuanian teenager living in Wisbech jailed for life after stabbing fellow countryman ‘in a drunken temper’ during late afternoon argument

32-year-old Marius Micevicius, of Churchill Road, Wisbech, who died three days after being taken to hospital with life-threatening stab wounds to his stomach. (Image: Archant)

Sarunas Maciulis, 18, of Churchill Road, Wisbech was found guilty of killing 32-year-old Marius Micevicius following a seven day trial at Cambridge Crown Court.

At the court on Friday he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years.

The court heard how Maciulis, Mr Micevicius and some other residents of Churchill Road had been drinking heavily in the lead up to the incident on February 15 earlier this year.

The pair got into an argument at about 5pm and Mr Micevicius was found by his partner, in the kitchen of the property, with a single stab wound through the bowel and stomach.

Man stabbed in Churchill Road, Wisbech (Image: Archant)

Mr Micevicius was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn but died two days later on February 17 from his injuries.

Maciulis left the scene and was seen on CCTV immediately after the offence buying a scratch card from a shop opposite the property. He was located by police the next day. During the trial he claimed he’d been acting in self-defence but couldn’t recall picking up the knife or inflicting the fatal stab wound.

Prior to sentencing, Judge Farrell said: “In a drunken temper you stabbed the victim in the stomach causing an injury from which he sadly died. You may not have intended to kill Marius, but you intended to cause really serious harm and you did this with a weapon.”

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Gallop said: “This is another tragic example of the trauma that can be caused following the consumption of alcohol if inhibitions are lowered and violence escalates to the use of weapons.

“There are no winners; an 18-year-old man will spend a significant period of time in prison. But overwhelmingly our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Mr Micevicius.”

Maciulis was arrested the day after the assault and the charge was changed to murder following the death in hospital the following day of fellow Lithuanian Marius Micevicius.

Police were called to the house in Churchill Road just after 5pm on Monday and an air ambulance took Mr Micevicius to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn. It was later revealed he had suffered life-threatening stab wounds to his stomach.

He died at about 3.30am on the Wednesday in the QE hospital.

Throughout Monday police cordoned off the house and for a time banned traffic along the nearby A1101.