Bar owner jailed for cocaine and knife offences

Edmond Borici, from Nuneaton, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Warwick Crown Court

The former owner of a cocktail bar has been jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to cocaine and and knife offences.

Warwickshire Police were called to a disturbance at the bar of Edmond Borici, 45, on Bond Gate, Nuneaton, in the early hours of 9 August 2023.

Borici was arrested at the scene on suspicion of threatening a person with a bladed article and a search found a bag containing cocaine with an estimated street value of £50,000.

"Borici seemed to think he could play the part of a 1950s mafioso, obscuring his criminal activities behind a bar," said Det Cons Williams.

Warwickshire Police said they were called at 01:22 BST on 9 August 2023 from a man who claimed he defended himself with a beer barrel after Borici threatened him with a knife.

Officers found the the pair having a loud argument outside the premises.

Following Borici's arrest, a blue bag containing about 500g (1lb) of cocaine in smaller bags was found in a rear storeroom at the unopened bar.

A search of the unopened cocktail bar found cocaine with an estimated street value of £50,000, police said

Police said a second bag was discovered with an additional 17g (0.03lb) of cocaine in a hired BMW parked outside which contained a letter on the back seat addressed to Borici.

An analysis of CCTV footage showed Borici getting out of the car earlier that evening, the force said.

The footage also revealed the man who called the police holding a door shut to prevent the bar owner, who was holding a knife, from getting to him outside, officers added.

The bar owner was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Monday after admitting charges of affray, possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of a pointed article in a public place.

The court also required Borici, of Bettina Close, Nuneaton, to pay a victims’ surcharge of £187 and a £1,785 through a forfeiture order.

Det Williams said Borici threatened "violence against people he believed had disrespected him".

“We are very happy to let him know that's not something we are going to accept on the streets of 21st Century Nuneaton," he added.