A man who was jailed for 19 years in 2016 after being caught with weapons in a police operation cracking down on dealers in Thanet has had two years added to his prison sentence.
When police snared Robert Kokins at a “fake” second-hand shop in Margate, he offered to trade TNT, explosives and handguns in exchange for cash to buy heroin and cocaine. The Latvian national was 22 years old at the time of sentencing.
He has now had two years added to his sentence after being found in possession of weapons and mobile phone chargers.
A routine search of Robert Kokins’ cell led to HMP Swaleside prison officers uncovering three improvised blades and two mobile phone chargers.
The 28-year-old, of HMP Swaleside, admitted three counts of possessing a knife in prison and two counts of possessing a prohibited item without authority.
He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday 24 February. The term will be served consecutively to a 19-year sentence, imposed in January 2016, for unlawfully possessing explosives and firearms.
The search of Kokins’ single-occupancy cell took place at around 8am on 21 June 2020.
Prior to entering the room, prison officers asked if all the items inside belonged to the offender, to which he said yes. He was then asked if he had any weapons, to which he said no.
The guards went on to find an improvised blade hidden in a toilet roll tube, a broken metal broom handle hidden under a mattress and a sharpened piece of metal hidden beneath the seat of his chair.
The guards additionally found two mobile chargers, despite the devices being prohibited in prison.
When Kokins was asked to account for the items he laughed and claimed he did not know the items were in the room.
Detective Constable Karen Hearn, Kent Police’s investigating officer for the case, said: “Despite already being the subject of a substantial prison sentence, Kokins’ willingness to possess weapons in prison shows he has no desire to reform.
“The items found in his cell were clearly intended for just one use – inflicting serious injury on a prison officer or another inmate. The vigilance of prison guards has thankfully prevented this from happening and I am pleased that we have been able to support their efforts by obtaining this prison sentence.”
