DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Dover, March, 2021.

Page Updated:- Sunday, 07 March, 2021.

PUB LIST NIGHT CLUB Paul Skelton

Earliest Dec 2015

(Name from)

Deja Vu

Closed June 2016

 1 Adrian Street

Sonal Gupta 2015

Above photo showing Sonal Gupta, 2015.

 

From the Dover Express, 3 December 2015.

A sense of Deja Vu at the Club Karma site.

A NEW nightclub is opening in Dover - and the owner hopes to attract punters from across East Kent.

Deja Vu is set to open its doors at the former "Club Karma" site in Adrian Street on Saturday, December 12.

Owner Sonal Gupta told the Express he hopes revellers from Folkestone reeling from the recent closure of Onyx - also known as “The Priz” - will flock to Dover.

Nightlife has suffered in Dover since the town’s “premier nightspot” "Club Karma" closed last August.

Mr Gupta, 30, said: “I want to bring a good night out back to Dover.

“I’m excited. There is a buzz here at the moment.”

Mr Gupta told the Express that Deja Vu will be open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Cheap.

He said: “It’s going to be upmarket - but cheap enough.”

Entry will be between £4 and £5, depending on what sort of event is being held at the club.

Punters will be able to enjoy an offer of £1 a drink on Wednesday nights.

Mr Gupta said “quite a bit” has changed inside the club, which has a new sound system.

He told the Express he intends to employ local bar staff.

The former "Funky Monkey" doorman, who opened "Karma" in 2010 after carrying out a £1 million refurbishment, hopes revellers will be attracted by the prospect of a cheaper cab fare.

He added: “Since Onyx shut there is nowhere for Folkestone locals to go.

“I think they’ll come to Dover.

“The only other options are Ashford, Canterbury and Maidstone.”

DJ Mo Kamara is set to host the grand opening of Deja Vu, which has a capacity of 500.

 

From http://www.kentonline.co.uk. 29 March 2016, by Beth Robson.

Person 'stabbed' outside nightclub Deja Vu in Adrian Street, Dover.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a man outside the Deja Vu nightclub in Adrian Street, Dover in the early hours of Saturday.

A Kent police spokesman confirmed two men, aged 23 and 30 and a woman aged 18 have been arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail until May 26 while enquiries continue.

The claims of the stabbing surfaced on social media on Saturday morning, but Kent Police was not able to confirm the nature of the alleged victim's injuries until today.

In a statement, the spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at 2.50am on Saturday morning to Adrian Street, Dover following reports of an assault.

"Officers attended the scene and man aged in his 20s was taken to hospital with a single stab wound. He is currently in a stable condition.

"Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any information that would help their investigation."

Management at the nightclub has commended its door staff for their handling of the incident outside the club.

A statement on its Facebook page told how door staff administered first aid to the man, who was later rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

"We must commend the door staff for their professional and calm manner in managing the incident given the circumstances" - management, Deja Vu.

Deja Vu's statement, released on its Facebook page, said: "It is with regret that we confirm that an incident took place in the early hours of the morning on Saturday 26 March at Deja Vu Nightclub.

"Police and paramedics were called to the premises after an altercation outside the venue, between two groups, resulted in a young man having to be rushed to hospital.

"Deja Vu Nightclub is extremely concerned with the safety of its clientele and the community.

"Doorstaff at the club were unaware of the incident as it happened as it occurred beyond their view outside the club. However, the team were quick in assisting the injured party to safety and began first aid whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive.

"We must commend the door staff for their professional and calm manner in managing the incident given the circumstances, therefore minimising any further trouble or injuries.

"We are unable to comment any further on this incident as police are investigating. We will continue to do all we can to help with their inquiries."

It has not been confirmed whether the man, or those arrested had been inside the club before the incident.

If you have any information on the incident, please contact Detective Sergeant Stephanie Devon on 01843 222289. Alternatively, if you have information but would prefer to remain anonymous call Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting incident number 26-161.

 

From the Dover Express, 31 March 2016. By Jordan Bluer.

Police make three arrests after violent altercation in early hours.

A MAN was stabbed in a brawl when two groups clashed outside Deja Vu nightclub in Dover.

The bloodied victim, aged in his 20s, was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford with a “single stab wound”, according to police.

He was then airlifted to King’s College Hospital in London and is in a stable condition.

Kent Police say two men, aged 23 and 30, and a woman aged 18 have been arrested in connection with the incident in Adrian Street.

They were released on bail until May 26.

According to the club, the fight began away from the venue and out of sight of nearby door staff.

It is unclear if the groups had been inside Deja Vu earlier.

A statement released on the club’s Facebook page said: “Police and paramedics were called to the premises after an altercation outside the venue between two groups. Our door staff were unaware of the incident as it happened beyond their view outside the club.”

Searching.

Police search

Police are still investigating the incident, which occurred in at around 2.50am on Saturday.

Officers were still at the scene hours later. Around 2pm, police were “searching for a knife” outside the club, according to Dover pub owner Paul McMullan.

The club did not open on Saturday night. Owner Sonal Gupta said: “We thought it would be out of order and it would be appropriate to allow the police to fully comb the area.”

In the Facebook statement the club praised it’s bouncers for handling the incident in a “professional and calm manner.”

The statement added: “The team were quick in assisting the injured party to safety and began first aid whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive.”

The club was rebranded and reopened in February it had previously been known as "Club Karma" before it was shut down in July 2014.

■ Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Stephanie Devon on 01843 222289 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting incident number 26-161.

 

From the Dover Mercury, 31 March 2016.

Three held after stabbing attack.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a man in the chest outside the Deja Vu nightclub in Dover.

A police spokesman confirmed two men, aged 23 and 30, and a woman aged 18 have been arrested.

They were released on bail until May 26.

Claims of a stabbing surfaced on social media on Saturday morning, but police were not able to confirm the nature of the alleged victim’s injuries until Tuesday.

The spokesman said police were called at 2.50am on Saturday morning to Adrian Street, Dover, after reports of an assault.

“A man aged in his 20s was taken to hospital with a single stab wound. He is in a stable condition. Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any information that would help their investigation.”

Two ambulance crews, as well as one SECAmb car, attended after door staff administered first aid to the man.

A spokesman for SECAmb said: “As he had a chest injury it was taken very seriously and he was taken to William Harvey Hospital for further assessment.”

Kent Air Ambulance joined the paramedics at the hospital and accompanied crews by land to King’s College Hospital, London.

Management at the nightclub commended its door staff for their handling of the incident. A statement on its Facebook page said door staff administered first aid to the man, who was later rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Duja Vu police car

Deja Vu’s statement said: “Police and paramedics were called to the premises after an altercation outside the venue, between two groups, resulted in a young man having to be rushed to hospital. Deja Vu Nightclub is extremely concerned with the safety of its clientele and the community. Door staff at the club were unaware of the incident as it happened beyond their view outside the building.

“However, the team were quick in assisting the injured party to safety and began first aid while waiting for the paramedics to arrive.

“We must commend the door staff for their professional and calm manner in managing the incident given the circumstances, therefore minimising any further trouble or injuries.”

The club was closed on Saturday night but re-opened on Wednesday.

It has not been confirmed whether the man, or those arrested, had been inside the club before the incident.

If you have any information on the incident, contact Detective Sergeant Stephanie Devon on 01843 222289.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to remain anonymous call Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting incident number 26-161.

From the Dover Express, 2 June 2016.

Club stabbing bail extended.

DOVER: Two men and a woman, arrested in connection with a stabbing outside Dover’s Deja Vu nightclub, have had their bail extended until July 14.

A man, aged in his 20s, was taken to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford with a “single stab wound” after an early-morning altercation between two groups in Adrian Street on March 26.

Two men, aged 23 and 30, and a woman aged 18 were later arrested and originally released on bail until May 26.

According to the club, the fight began away from the venue and out of sight of nearby door staff. It is unclear if the groups had been inside the club beforehand.

 

From http://www.kentlive.news. By Dover Express, 18 August, 2016.

Four people have been charged after a man was stabbed in a brawl outside a nightclub.

Four people have been charged after a man was stabbed in an alleged brawl outside Deja Vu nightclub in Adrian Street, Dover, in March.

The victim, aged in his 20s, was taken to Kings College Hospital in London. He was last reported as being in a stable condition.

Ryan Derby, 31, of Castle Hill, Dover, and Khyle Harding, 23, from Sheerness have both been charged with GBH with intent and possession of a bladed article.

Jack Thompson, 24, of Milner Crescent, Aylesham, has been charged with ABH and Tia Wesley, 19, of Chevalier Road, Dover has been charged with theft.

The four have been bailed and will appear at Folkestone Magistrates Court on September 12.

According to the club, the alleged fight on March 26 began away from the venue and out of sight of nearby door staff.

It is unclear if they had been inside Deja Vu earlier.

A statement released on the club's Facebook page said: "Police and paramedics were called to the premises after an altercation outside the venue between two groups.

"Our door staff were unaware of the incident as it happened beyond their view outside the club."

At the time the club praised it's bouncers for handling the incident in a "professional and calm manner."

The statement added: "The team were quick in assisting the injured party to safety and began first aid whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive."

The club was rebranded and reopened in February. It had previously been known as "Club Karma" before it was shut down in July 2014.

 

From the Dover Mercury, 2 February 2017. By Paul Hooper.

Mystery Scouser saved man’s life at nightclub.

Wife's bag had been stolen before victim was knifed in fight outside venue.

A woman has told a jury how a “man with a Scouse accent” saved the life of her husband after he was stabbed in a fight outside a Dover nightclub.

Darren Catt had been knifed as he went to the aid of wife Nikki, who had her bag stolen in an incident on March 26 last year.

He told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court how he was involved in a punch-up with two men outside Deja Vu nightclub -but had not realised he had been stabbed.

Now Ryan Derby, 31, of Castle Hill Road, Dover, has pleaded not guilty to wounding Mr Catt with intent.

Quick thinking saved life of victim after stabbing.

Deja Vu entrance 2017

A wife has told a jury how a “man with a Scouse accent” saved the life of her husband after he was stabbed in a fight outside a Dover nightclub.

Darren Catt had been knifed as he went to the aid of wife Nikki, who had her bag stolen in an incident on March 26 last year.

He told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court how he was involved in a punch-up with two men outside Deja Vu nightclub - but had not realised he had been stabbed.

Mrs Catt said a “man with a Scouse accent” then said “Darren, you’re bleeding, mate”.

She said: “The man who said that helped to save Darren’s life that night. He had come out of the club after the event. This person, I don’t know him and he wasn’t involved (in the stabbing), but he knew medical training.”

Ryan Derby, 31, of Castle HillRoad, Dover, has pleaded not guilty to wounding Mr Catt with intent. Khyle Harding, 23, from Thamesmead, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of unlawful wounding, and Tia Wesley, 19, of Chevalier Road, Dover, admitted the theft of a handbag. Both will be sentenced later.

Mr Catt was taken to King’s College Hospital, London, after the knife wound punctured his lung. He told the jury: “I lost a lot of blood and I was later told I had been resuscitated.”

The jury heard how Mrs Catt had been out with friends at the club when her handbag was stolen and a woman in the club told her she knew who had taken it.

Outside, the two women confronted a group of people and she alleged that racist remarks were being made towards the woman who had helped her. She then telephoned her husband, who arrived minutes later as Mrs Catt and another woman became involved in a fight, during which she lost her hair extensions and jewellery.

Mr Catt, who is 6ft 6in, claimed that when he turned up, one of the men shouted: “You’re a big fella ” He was confronted by a man and began throwing punches in defence of his wife, as another man grabbed him around the neck to pull him away.

He said: “It was kind of weird because the man in front didn’t retaliate as I thought he would have. It was not normal. It looked like he was trying to get something out of his pockets.”

Mr Catt said that bouncers then appeared and the two men seemed to disappear and he bent down and laughed at his wife as she collected her hair extensions and jewellery.

It was then he claimed he felt a dull blow to the left side of his chest, adding: “It just didn’t register at the time. I didn’t realise I had been stabbed.”

The trial continues.

 

From the Dover Express, 2 February, 2017. By Amy Nickalls.

Man ‘stabbed while protecting his wife’.

Court told blood found on accused’s clothes after nightclub brawl.

A MAN was “protecting his wife” when he was stabbed outside a Dover nightclub, a court heard.

Darren Catt spent a week in Kings College Hospital, London, with a punctured lung after a “scuffle” outside "Deja Vu" in Adrian Street in the early hours of March 26 last year.

Canterbury Crown Court heard on Tuesday that forensic tests found traces of Mr Catt’s blood and DNA were found on the sleeve of clothing belonging to Dover man Ryan Derby.

Derby’s DNA was also found on the handle of the weapon used, the prosecution told jurors at the start of his trial.

Opening the case, prosecutor Siobhan Malloy said: “Mr Derby will say he is not the stabber and the only reason his DNA is on the knife is because someone threw it to him after the stabbing but he threw it to the ground.

Scientific.

“He is only saying that to distance himself from the scientific evidence.

“He can’t dispute it. It’s fact. It’s science.

“It cannot be undermined.”

Mr Catt was called by his wife, Nikki, who said her handbag had been stolen and she was having an argument with a woman, Tia Wesley.

Mr Catt was at another nightclub nearby and arrived at the scene within minutes of receiving the call to find his wife arguing with Wesley and three men.

Giving evidence in court from behind a screen, Mrs Catt said: “I called him when it was getting heated.

“He came out of nowhere.

“Somebody called out and said ‘you’re a big fella aren’t you?’

At that point Tia was so close up to me I don’t know what happened.

“It was heated, I grabbed her by the hair and we went to the floor fighting.”

Mrs Catt claims she didn’t see anything after that but heard stomping which she presumed was her husband being attacked.

The court heard that one of the men grabbed Mr Catt from behind and tried to hold him back while another stood in front of him while the third did not get involved.

In his evidence to the court, Mr Catt said: “It’s all a bit vague now but I was trying to defend myself and protect my wife.

“I don’t know who threw the first punch.

“I felt my shirt pull and then it felt like someone had punched me in the ribs. It didn’t really register.

Stabbed.

“It felt like a dead blow. I felt something but I didn’t realise I had been stabbed until later.”

Mr Catt was taken into the nightclub after it was closed down following the incident and waited for an ambulance to arrive.

Wesley, of Chevalier Road, Dover, had already pleaded guilty to theft, admitting that she had stolen Mrs Catt’s handbag that night.

Jurors were told a second man, Khyle Harding, 24; of Bel-marsh Road, Thamesmead, has pleaded guilty to a lesser offence in connection with the case.

Derby, of Castle Hill Road, denies wounding with intent and carrying an article with a blade or point.

The trial continues.

 

From the Dover Mercury, 9 February 2017. By Paul Hooper.

Man cleared over stabbing in nightclub attack on wife.

A Dover man found with blood on his clothes and his DNA on a knife after a vicious stabbing near a nightclub has been acquitted.

Ryan Derby had been arrested by police after a man was knifed going to the aid of his wife outside the Deja Vu club in Adrian Street.

But now a judge has ruled that the 31-year-old, who denied wounding Darren Catt with intent, has no case to answer and instructed the jury to return not guilty verdicts.

They had heard evidence at Canterbury Crown Court from the former lover of Derby’s pal Khyle Harding how the two men returned laughing after the attack.

Harding, 23, of Thamesmead, London, admitted a lesser charge of unlawful wounding after the two-man attack on Mr Catt last March.

However the Crown Prosecution Service claimed it was Derby who had plunged the knife into Mr Catt, which resulted in him being taken to a London hospital with a punctured lung.

But at the end of the prosecution case, Judge Rupert Lowe ordered the jury to return not guilty verdicts on charges of wounding and possessing the knife in a public area.

During a legal argument, the judge said: “A knife was discovered close to the scene of the stabbing of Darren Catt with his blood on the blade.

“On the handle of that knife was found DNA from Mr Derby.

“When Derby was interviewed by police, he told what can only be understood in the light of other evidence as being a number of lies about his knowledge of the knife, his knowledge of Khyle Harding, his proximity to the violence and about wet blood on two of his garments, which was contact staining.”

barren Catt told the jury how he had been attacked by two men, one in front of him and the other behind him which he fought off.

He then bent down to help his stricken wife, Nikki, who had become embroiled in a fight with a woman, who she confronted after the theft of her handbag.

He told how he felt a “dull blow” to his rib cage and, although he did not realise until later, he had been stabbed.

Harding’s former partner, Daniker Doughty had told the jury how her ex-lover had confessed to her on three occasions that he had stabbed Mr Catt.

She said that Harding and Derby had “thought it funny” that others believed it was Derby who had struck the blow.

Judge Lowe said that the CPS had been “too strongly attached” to believing Derby and not Harding had been the stabber “in the face of equivocal evidence”.

He added: “I do not believe a jury could be sure on the evidence before me that Derby was the stabber.

“However, the evidence is consistent with him being the stabber but it is more consistent with Khyle Harding being the stabber.

“If Derby were convicted of being the stabber, I would consider that an injustice would have been done.”

He added that Derby’s behaviour was suspicious and had the CPS believed the two men were jointly responsible for what happened, the case was unlikely to have been stopped.

Harding and Tia Wesley, 19, of Chevalier Road, Dover, who admitted theft of a handbag, will be sentenced later.

Before the start of the trial, the CPS had dropped an assault charge against Jack Thompson, 24, from Milner Crescent, Aylesham, against another man. He had denied the offence.

 

From the Dover Express, 9 February, 2017.

Not guilty verdict in stabbing attack trial.

A MAN accused of stabbing a husband outside a Dover nightclub as he tried to “protect his wife” was found not guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday (February 3).

Ryan Derby, 31, of Castle Hill Road, Dover, was accused of wounding with intent and carrying a bladed article in public.

But last week Judge Rupert Lowe ruled that there was insufficient evidence for a jury to be able to convict Mr Derby.

He said: “It may appear unsatisfactory because, the evidence being what it is, there may be considerable suspicion.

“But I am not satisfied that a verdict on the basis that Ryan Derby did the stabbing could be sufficiently arrived at.”

Hospital.

Victim Darren Catt spent a week in Kings College Hospital in London after the incident outside Deja Vu in Adrian Street, which ended with him being taken to hospital with a punctured lung.

The court heard that the injury was 2cm wide.

The court heard that Mr Derby’s DNA was found on the handle of the knife that had Mr Catt’s blood on it and was believed to have been used to stab him.

However, there was not sufficient evidence to prove that his DNA was put there when the stabbing happened.

The incident happened early in the morning of March 26.

Kyle Harding had pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Catt and the jury heard a statement from his then girlfriend that he had also confessed to her on the night of the incident.

Mr Derby has returned to prison to finish a previous conviction until August 15.

 

From the Dover Mercury, 16 February 2017. By Paul Hooper.

Man locked up for stabbing after fight outside nightclub.

A man who stabbed a brave husband as he defended his wife has been jailed for three years.

Khyle Harding, 23, admitted plunging the knife into Darren Catt after two women began fighting outside the Deja Vu Nightclub.

The punch up began after sneak thief Tia Wesley stole a handbag belonging to Mr Catt’s wife Nikki inside the venue in Adrian Street.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how Wesley, 19, of Chevalier Road, Dover was confronted nearby and became involved in a scuffle.

Mr Catt was telephoned by his distressed wife in March last year and went to her aid -but was confronted by Harding and his pal Ryan Derby.

He told a jury that he was attacked but had not realised he had been stabbed.

The knife punctured a lung and he was taken to hospital for treatment to a London Hospital but has since recovered.

Wesley pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding on the day she was due to stand trial. Co-accused Ryan Derby, 31, who denied wounding with intent, was acquitted after the judge stopped the trial.

The jury had heard statement evidence from Harding’s ex-lover how the two men returned laughing after the attack.

Harding, 23, of Thames-mead, had confessed to being the stabber on three occasions, the court heard.

Darren Catt told the jury how he had been attacked by two men, one in front of him and the other behind him which he fought off.

He then bent down to help his stricken wife, Nikki, who had become embroiled in fight with a woman who she had confronted after the theft of her handbag.

As he did he felt a “dull blow” to his rib cage and although he didn’t realise until later, he had been stabbed.

The incident had begun when Wesley was caught on CCTV stealing the handbag, which she took from the club and gave to others.

Mrs Catt later realised the handbag had been stolen and alerted her husband who was nearby.

Judge Rupert Lowe in giving Wesley a 12 month conditional discharge told her she was a liar.

He said: “You have never told the truth to anybody in authority and probably not to yourself, about what you did that night.

“But you quite plainly stole Nikki Catt’s handbag and you went straight outside and gave it to people who immediately started stealing its contents.

“That was thoroughly dishonest and mean trick played upon someone you knew.”

Before the start of the trial, the CPS dropped an assault charge against Jack Thompson, 24, from Milner Crescent, Aylesham. He had denied the offence.

Khyle Harding has been jailed for three years after admitting stabbing Darren Catt Picture: Kent Police

 

From the Dover Express, 16 February, 2017. By Amy Nickalls.

Deja Vu

A 23-YEAR-OLD who pleaded guilty to wounding a man outside a nightclub has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Khyle Harding, 23, of Belmarsh Road, Thamesmead, had pleaded guilty to the charges.

The Crown Prosecution Service had claimed Ryan Derby was the person who stabbed Darren Catt outside Deja Vu in March last year.

A trial held at Canterbury Court last week found Derby not guilty due to insufficient evidence as Khyle Harding had both pleaded guilty and confessed to a witness in the case that he stabbed Mr Catt.

On Friday at Canterbury Crown Court Judge Rupert Lowe told Harding: “On March 26, 2016 you went out with Ryan Derby and Jack Thompson and others at the Roman Quay Pub prior to going to the Deja Vu nightclub where you were congregating outside at a time when an argument broke out because Tia Wesley had stolen Nikki Catt’s handbag.

“You were armed with a knife and used that to stab Darren Catt. You rang your then girlfriend later and said you had done something. Then you rang her again to say you had stabbed someone and went to her house - where you were living - with Ryan Derby, the only other potential stabber in this case, and you both found it funny that some people thought he had done it.

“I was left in no doubt after hearing that that you were the man with the knife.”

Harding, who is already serving a sentence for actual bodily harm and false imprisonment, has been given a three year sentence to be served after his current conviction has been spent.

Trick.

Judge Lowe also sentenced Tia Wesley, 19, Chevalier Road, Dover who pleaded guilty to theft.

It was stealing Nikki Catt’s handbag which Judge Lowe said lead to Mr Catt’s injury.

In court he said: “You have, in my judgement, never told the truth to anybody in authority, possibly not even to yourself, about what you did on March 26, 2016.

“But you quite plainly stole Nikki Catt’s handbag.

“Not just because you pleaded guilty to it but because you went straight outside and gave it to people who started stealing the contents and then came back in without it.

“It was truly dishonest and a mean trick to play on someone you knew and I hope you never do it again.

“It was disgraceful.

“It resulted indirectly in a fight in which the husband of the woman who you stole from was seriously injured.”

Wesley has been sentence to a conditional discharge for 12 months.

In the trial Mr Catt said he felt a ‘dead blow’ in his side as he helped his wife off the floor who had been fighting with Wesley.

He did not see who stabbed him.

The stabbing caused him a punctured lung and he had to be treated at a London in hospital for his injuries.

 

LICENSEE LIST

Last pub licensee had GUPTA Sonal Dec/2015+

 

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