Benefit fraud mum tagged


AN AYLESFORD woman has been tagged and sentenced to a six-month curfew for a £16,000 benefit fiddle. Elisha Smith, 30, of Robson Drive, will have to


wear a tag and remain at home between 7pm and 7am every day except Thursdays and Fridays when she will have to stay in from 9pm to 7am. Maidstone magistrates heard that she failed to


notify Tonbridge and Malling Council that her partner was living with her. She had originally claimed to be living without a partner and with responsibility for two children. Following an anonymous tip-off from a mem-


ber of the public, council and DWP investigators checked up on her. They obtained evidence that


Comic faces ban over luxury car drive


COMEDIAN Jim Davidson was facing a six-month driving ban for failing to name the driver of his luxury lease car when it was caught by a speed camera in Loose Road, Maidstone. Maidstone magistrates heard


how the convertibleAston Mar- tin DB9 Volante was clocked at 39mphina30mphzonebya speed camera on September 6 last year. Davidson (57) was given six penalty points on his licence that accumulatively amounted to a ban. But this was suspended after he announced he would appeal. He was also ordered to pay a £1,000 fine and costs of £750.


Sponsored bike ride MICHAEL Page is taking part in a 12-hour solo spin bike ride to raise money in memory of niece Isabelle Teague, of Grove Green, who last year died of brain cancer aged nine. The cycling will take place at


Topnotch Health Club, London Road, Maidstone, starting at 7.15am. He hopes to raise £2,000 for Demelza Hospice and Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. He said: “Isabelle fought it off


for six months and didn’t com- plain once, only that she was missing school. She dealt with it like an adult and carried on with life as best she could.” To sponsor Michael, go to www.isabellefund.co.uk.


showed her partner was linked to her address throughout the period of her benefit claims. Smith, who pleaded guilty, had been overpaid £7,658.95 in housing benefit, £1,136.23 in coun- cil tax benefit and £7,896.55 in income support. She was ordered to pay £10 costs and repay all the money she had fraudulently claimed. Borough finance chief Cllr Martin Coffin said:


”It’s very clear that Tonbridge and Malling resi- dentswill not tolerate benefit cheats in their com- munities. This is just the latest in a growing number of tip offswe have received from the pub- lic and we will continue to follow up every lead to ensure that people who defraud the benefit sys- tem are caught and brought to justice.”


Women score with their smart new look


A LOCAL netball team has a new set of bibs thanks to the generosity of a Maidstone law firm. Gullands is sponsoring the Yalding senior team, whoplay in Division One of the Malling and Maid- stone league. One of the nine-strong squad, Catherine Bond (31) of Maidstone (pictured top left), is an as- sociate solicitor at Gullands. She approached her employers for help at the end of thewinter sea-


son. TheYalding teamwas set up about 20 years ago. The league uses the netball courts at Aylesford Bulls Rugby club.


Warning to homeowners after


shed blaze damages bungalow FIREFIGHTERS are urging people to check their sheds are a safe distance from their homes – and to be careful what they store in them – following a shed fire in Snodland that severely damaged a bungalow. Larkfield watch manager Mitch Kelly said: “The fire developed


very quickly and because the shed was so close to the house, flames spread to the guttering and eaves, and directly into the roof void.” Most of the roof was destroyed and the building was damaged


by fire and smoke. The occupants were unharmed but had to be rehoused follow-


ing the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electri- cal fault in the shed. Four appliances attended the fire and crews wore breathing ap- paratus. Mr Kelly said: “I would strongly recommend that residents


avoid placing sheds or outbuildings directly next to their homes and follow our safety tips to avoid the risks of fire.”


Lottery grant secures Brighter Futures scheme


A SCHEME that supports elderly people in the borough has been saved from closure by a £470,510 lottery handout. Voluntary ActionMaidstone received the fund-


ing boost for its ‘Brighter Futures for Older Peo- ple’ project from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme – one of four projects in the South East to share a total of £1.46m.


Brighter Futures members celebrate their lot- tery ‘win’


18 Malling


The scheme, based at Maidstone Community Support Centre in Marsham Street, has been running since 2005 and offers a range of serv- ices and activities for those aged 70-plus, in- cluding a door-to-door escorted transport service for shopping and social trips, and a be- friending scheme. It was due to close as KCC had withdrawn its funding, but VAM's chief executive officer, Char- lotte Osborn-Forde, said: “Our Brighter Futures service has been saved by this grant. This really popular scheme already helps 700 people in Maidstone and will be able to continue and grow for another five years.” The grant will enable the service to expand to Staplehurst, Marden and Headcorn. Two buses will be leased and additional staff and volunteers recruited. Brighter Futures won the Queen’s award for volunteers in June.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


New lay-by brings


buses back at last BUSES will soon be returning to the 101 route at Bluebell Hill after work is completed on a new and safer layby at San- dling.


Arriva stopped its service on


the A229 more than a year ago, saying it was unsafe for vehi- cles to pull away from the bus stop into fast moving traffic. This led to protests from Box-


ley Parish Council, residents and Kent Wildlife Trust, as the village was effectively cut off from public transport. Kent Highway Services con- tractors are due to start the scheme on September 19 with funding from Cllr Paul Carter’s devolved budget. The bus shel- ter and binwill bemoved to the new layby with the parish council meeting this expense. Boxley said its chairman Mar-


tin Pepper had attended every Maidstone Joint Transport Board meeting since the service cancellation last June to ensure residents were not ignored. The campaign was supported


by County Cllr Carter who en- sured KHS designed a more reasonably priced project. He then used part of his budget to pay for the work. Arriva plan to reinstate the


101 service on October 10. The parish council said:


“Without councillors fighting for the village, the 101 rein- statement would not have hap- pened”, and appealed for people to consider standing at the parish council elections in May 2012.


Haulier hammers


crossing toll rises LARKFIELD haulage firm boss Peter Carroll has criticised the planned increase in tolls at the M25 Dartford river crossing as a “total rip-off”. Mr Carroll, owner of Astran


and a key figure in the Fair Fuel UK campaign group, said it was ridiculous to suggest that rais- ing the charges would help to ease congestion as drivers have no alternative to the crossing. The tolls for lorries are set to


rise by £1 to £5 from November 27 and by a further £1 from April 1 next year. The current £1.50 charge for cars will rise by 50p on each of those dates.


Classic opportunity KENT’s Classic Car Show takes place at Aylesford Priory on Sunday, September 25, giving enthusiasts a chance to meet and display their vehicles. The event runs from 10am to 4pm and includes auto-jumble.


Hip-hip-Harley! MORE than £200was raised for Childhood Leukaemia Research when Harley Davidson motor- bike owners gave rides to guests at Teston Club in Church Street in exchange for donations. It was organised by club regu- lar MaxMcHenry.


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