12:13pm Thursday 17th July 2008
By Alita Howe
A 20-year-old man who fatally stabbed a dad-to-be at a Kingston nightclub has been told he will spend at least four years in jail today.
Shaun Greenidge from Hilary Avenue, Mitcham, was given an indeterminate sentence and told he would spend at least four years in jail, minus the 387 days he spent on remand, before he could apply for parole.
Greenidge, who has a previous conviction dating back to August 2005 for carrying a knife at Mitcham Fair, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mikey Brown in April at the Old Bailey.
Mr Brown, from New Addington, was fatally stabbed with an 8cm blade at The Works nightclub, St James Road, on June 23 last year.
He was rushed to Kingston Hospital but died at 3am on June 23.
A postmortem examination showed he had been stabbed through the heart.
The court heard how Greenidge had attacked Mr Brown after his girlfriend had said Mikey had been rude to her at the bar.
Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, said witnesses described seeing Greenidge on top of Mr Brown on the floor and both were "rolling around and swinging at each other" before bouncers responded to a "code red" alert by bar staff and intervened.
Both were ejected from the club.
After being stabbed the court heard Mr Brown asked the bouncer if he could retrieve his shoe which had come off in the fight before falling over outside the club.
The court was told the bouncers did not realise he had been stabbed and thought he was drunk.
A customer outside the club then came to Mr Brown's aid and emergency services were called.
Greenidge fled the country to Cyprus immediately after the stabbing and was arrested at Gatwick airport on June 25, having been persuaded to return by his parents, who went to collect him from the island.
Mikey's girlfriend Marcie Netting, from Basildon, Essex, gave birth to his son Romarni Mikey Brown 16 days after he died.
In a victim impact statement read out to the court, Mikey's partner, 20-year-old Ms Netting described losing the love of her life.
"He was, and always will be, my one true love, my soul mate and I miss him so very much.
"I live a life that is empty. I can't move on. I constantly miss Mikey .The one person I need I can't see or hear again."
In July, his family and friends held a celebration of his life in the Henry Prince estate hall in Wandsworth, which was attended by more than 200 people.
It also emerged that Mikey was serving a suspended sentence for stealing cars and driving dangerously when he was stabbed.
Jailing Greenidge Brian Barber, the Common Sergeant of London, Judge Brian Barker, said: "This is yet another example of the dreadful consequences that flow from carrying a knife in a public place."
He added: "Mikey Brown would not have died if you had not gone out that night with a knife. This resulted in a totally unnecessary death."
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