Man jailed for helping suspect flee after fatal attack on Boston pub manager
A man who helped a suspect flee to an airport after he carried out a fatal attack on a Boston pub manager has been jailed for two-and-half years.
Maskim Iliev, 36, was jailed for life in October after he was convicted of murdering devoted dad-of-one Adrian Whiting, 35, with a fierce blow to his head with a baseball bat.
Mr Whiting was deliberatley hit over the head after he went to the door of his pub to ‘ward off’ Iliev who was rowing with his partner in the street.
Harrowing CCTV from the Carpenters Arms showed Iliev disarming Mr Whiting of his own baseball bat and then striking him twice.
Jurors heard Iliev was later detained with his luggage as he tried to catch a flight from Luton airport following the attack on January 14 last year.
Rumen Dambinov, 32, of no fixed address, later admitted a charge of assisting an offender in relation to Iliev's attempted escape.
On Friday (October 3), a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court was today told Iliev attended at the address of his cousin, Rumen Dambinov, within minutes of the offence.
Jonathan Cox, prosecuting, said Dambinov allowed Iliev to remain at his property and was involved in a series of phonecalls with the killer's partner.
Efforts were made to pawn jewellery belonging to Iliev's partner to raise money for flights out of the UK, Mr Cox explained, and to provide transport to the airport.
“Mr Dambinov was central to that. He arranged the taxi,” Mr Cox said.
The court was told ‘quick policing’ led to Iliev being arrested at Luton airport.
Mr Cox said Dambinov attended Iliev's first court hearing and left the UK to work in the Netherlands a short time later.
Jeremy Jaines, in mitigation, said Dambinov was not fully aware of the severity of the attack on Mr Whiting and only learnt the full details when he attended court.
Mr Jaines told the court Dambinov was remanded into custody after returning to the UK from the Netherlands, and was an otherwise hardworking family man.
“He is desparate to be reunited with his family,” Mr Jaines stressed.
Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst stressed Dambinov had provided a refuge for Iliev and his partner after the attack.
“Efforts were then made for them to leave the country for Bulgaria,” Judge Hirst told Dambinov. “It must have been clear to you the assault on Mr Whiting was serious.”
Judge Hirst added: “You left this country on January 19, 2024, and were arrested when you returned on January 30, 2025.”
Iliev's long term partner, Katya Tsoneva, 35, was previously jailed for two years after she helped to gather his belongings and fund the plane ticket for his escape.
Both Mr Whiting's partner, Sarah Taylor, and the couple's young child were inside the pub when Iliev delivered the fatal blow, the trial was told.
Mr Whiting never recovered from the blow and died 10 days later in hospital.