A man who stabbed someone to death in retaliation for being thrown out of a Leytonstone restaurant has been jailed for life.

Aturas Kurpis, a 39-year-old from Limehouse, was sentenced to life imprisonment – of which he must spend at least 21 years in jail – on 9th December.

The court heard that, on 5th November, Kurpis went to the same Leytonstone restaurant as Paulius Karalius and his girlfriend.

Kurpis, who has a “history of violence” and previous convictions, reportedly got drunk and began “behaving badly”, snatching the microphone from a singer.

After Paulius and some of his friends told Kurpis to leave, Kurpis called someone at the restaurant – with the phone held up on speakerphone – and loudly threatened to stab him, according to witnesses that night.

Kurpis later confronted Paulius outside his girlfriend’s home in Limehouse and stabbed him in the chest once with a kitchen knife he had retrieved from his flat.

Kurpis returned to his flat and called police, claiming he had been assaulted. Paulius was rushed to hospital but died six days later, his brain starved of oxygen after the knife struck his heart.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Kurpis is a man with a history of violence who has previously carried out numerous assaults and has served time in prison for a knife offence.

“In contrast, Paulius Karalius was a man of good character who was just spending a Friday night out with his girlfriend.

“Kurpis was drunk, but his intent that night was clear. He threatened to stab Paulius in a phone call, went to his flat, armed himself with a knife and then went downstairs to do bloody murder.

“Kurpis has been found guilty and I am sure that London will be a better place with him behind bars for a long time, but this will only be a small consolation to the family and friends of Paulius.

“This is another young life lost to a senseless scourge of knife crime and the loss will never leave those affected.”

When police attended Kurpis’ call, they realised his reported assault could be linked to the stabbing outside. They found what they would later discover was the murder weapon – a 35cm ‘Kitchen Devils’ carving knife – in his kitchen.

While released on bail as officers continued to investigate, Kurpis fled London and was eventually tracked down at an address in Dartford, where he was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The court heard he had numerous convictions including: threatening behaviour with a knife, for which he was imprisoned for 18 months; common assault; battery; possession of a knife; assault on police and being drunk and disorderly.

He also has convictions for criminal damage and theft in Lithuania and a conviction for assault in Spain.