Justice for Dawn as killer gets life
THE family of aMaidstone womanmurdered by herYorkshire loverhas spoken out after the killer was jailed for life. Mark Hatter (45), from Hillsborough, Sheffield, was sentenced to a mini- mum of 25 years in jail after a jury at Sheffield Crown Court heard how he climbed in through a first-floor win- dow of his girlfriend’s house and fa- tally stabbed her, before turning the knife on himself. Dawn Backhouse (pictured), for-
merly Dawn Taylor, was well-liked in her native Vinters Park andWatering- bury, where she worked as a postwoman. Despitemoving toSheffield in 2008, she reg-
ularly popped back to visit friends and family in the town and around the places she worked. After splitting with her husband Andrew in
2009, Dawn (31) became friendly with Hatter, through a local dog-walking group.
Congestion fears over tip proposal
However, Hatter had a long-standing partner
andDawnwas due tomove back toMaidstone on July 4, where she had formed a relationship with David Brunger. Det Insp Phil Etheridge, senior in- vestigating officer on the case, said: “Hatter was having great difficulties dealing with the fact that Dawn was ending their relationship and return- ing, with her children, to her native Kent.”
Dawn’s sister Carol,whostill lives in Maidstone, sat through the two-and-a- half week trial, along with her parents
Barry and Linda. She said: “We were devastated to learn of
Dawn’s death and the events of the past few months have certainly taken their toll, partic- ularly on my mum. “Wewere all looking forward toDawncom-
ing back so this was a doubly devastating blow. It has torn our family apart.”
Helping hands in the community
A NEW Maidstone-based charity wants to offer a helping hand to the community – particularly to teenagers and young people wanting to branch out in business. Helping Hands, based in Hedley Street, has been launched by businessman and accountant Paul Norley, to offer start-up advice and funding to would-be young entre- preneurs. The aim is for the charity to step in where organisations
such as The Prince’s Trust leave off. “Our aim is to fully fund our work via commercial activ-
Continued from page one
dark at that time of the morning. “If they were going to put a
new household waste centre on this particular site then I could see the logic as it would be near a recycling facility, but I would strongly urge them to look at how the incinerator site is being ac- cessed. “The sensible thing would be
to have some form of spare road so it is separate to the business park. Perhaps it should have its own entrance onto the Coldhar- bour roundabout.” Cllr Robertson, who reported
the issue to Kent Police’s traffic management unit, said: “Sim- plistically, a lot of people would like to have a waste recycling centre there but I don’t think it is the best site. “The Coldharbour roundabout
is already grossly overloaded. It seems madness to put a new fa- cility there, especially if themain purpose is to resolve problems in Tonbridge & Malling. We have a problem here that people don’t seem to appreciate.” Anotheroptionistositeitin
Tonbridge & Malling alongside Blaise Farm Quarry in KingsHill, but that has the disadvantage of being further away from Maid- stone, which is currently served only by the congested tip in Tovil. Tovil Parish Council says it supports the opening of a new tip, but only to complement, rather than replace, its facility in Burial Ground Lane. In 2008, KCC announced it had a £2 million budget to fund a fa- cility in Maidstone. It undertook a feasibility study but concluded there was no suitable site.
6 Town
ity, rather than relying on government or grant funding – both of which can be subject to sudden withdrawal,” said Paul.
From this month the charity is launching an indoor Sun-
day boot fair, at Invicta Grammar and Valley Park School, Huntsman Lane. The boot fairs will move to an outdoor pitch later in the year. Funds raised will be donated to in- dividual causes and community projects. Paul added: “A lot of young people have great ideas but
don’t know how to get them off the ground, or how to ob- tain some basic funding. Some people might only need a few hundred pounds to give them the kick-start they need. That’s what Helping Hands hopes to do.” The charity has launched a Facebook page called Big Fat Charity Boot Fair. For further information contact Paul on 07928 776854.
Aladdin fizzes with fun at the Hazlitt I AMsure that Jeremy Edwards is well known on
the small screens of the majority of the Hazlitt’s au- diences, but not to me.
JOHN Whatever hap-
pened to the prin- cipal boy in pantos? No, it is not just the legs; principal boys are part of the tradition. Jeremy did not really fill the part of Aladdin. Saphire Elia, on the other hand, was delightful as
MUNSON SHOW TIME
the princess. She could dance, sing and act. She had charisma. Another charismatic performer was Gary Damer asWisheeWashee. He romped through all his gags and the whole show was all the richer. AsWidow Twankey, Andy Couchman was enjoy-
ably but traditionally outrageous. His outfits were superb – as were all costumes. James Lavender as Abanazar; David Burton as the Emperor; Daniel Jacob as Genie of the lamp all gave top grade sup- port to the principals. The adult dancers were ter- rific; their energy, fitness, skill and commitment were breathtaking and contributed to the fizz of the production. The 48 local junior dancers attracted 8,000 grandparents with their smiles.Without whom, the show would not run.Well done to the backstage team, music and sets.Well done to director Rob Forknall.
Two of Dawn’s three children, Stephanie
(10) and Hannah (3) were in the house when the assault took place. Her son Reece (7) was with his father in Kent. Carol said: “I only met Hatter once and can’t
say I particularly liked him.We all had reser- vations about him, but you never expect some- thing like this.” Dawnattended Hadlow College after finish-
ing Vinters Girls’ School, where she stud- ied photography. She worked as a postwoman inWateringbury and as a barmaid at the Mug- gleton Inn in Maidstone. She had been due to move back to Maidstone on July 4. Dawn’s father BarryTaylor said: “Dawnwas
a loving, kind and beautiful mother, daughter and sister. Today three children grow up with only memories and photos. “Although we now have justice for Dawn,
this will never bring back the smiley and bub- bly personwe all came toknow, love andwho will forever be missed.”
Premier Inn set to come to town
ANEW100-bedroomWhitbread Premier Inn hotel was given the go-ahead for Lon- don Road,Maidstone. Maidstone Council’s planning commit-
tee praised the scheme to convert London House, an empty four-storey former bor- ough council office building within the one-way system, into the hotel, which will also have 92 parking spaces - 39 less than previously. Committee member Cllr Clive English
said: “It is useful to have job creation in this particular location through a hotel development as we are not going to get an office development on this site. “It will continue to extend and main-
tain Maidstone’s tourist offer. It is very difficult to find hotel accommodation in Maidstone, particularly at the more rea- sonable end of the market. “There is a reduction in car parking,
but given that this use is likely to gener- ate fewer car journeys than the existing office use, it would have been very diffi- cult to argue against it on those grounds.” Cllr Stephen Paine said: “It is a grotty
old building that has no interest in it. It is a good location for a hotel and a good standard building.” The application was given unanimous backing.
Health centre opens COUNTY Cllr Graham Gibbens, cabinet member for adult social care and public health, cut the ribbon tomark the opening of a new Live it Well centre in Holland Road, Maidstone. The centre provides help for adults with mental health
needs.Anindividual experi- encing mental health difficulties being re- ferred here can accessnumerous services in one place. They can also speak to others who may experience similar issues. Mcch, a charity that supports those with
a learning disability, mental health need or autism, operates out of the centre and pro- vides an employment and vocational serv- ice to help people get back into work.
‘Inadequate’ family home MAIDSTONE Council has refused an ap- plication for a new home to the rear of 70 College Road, Maidstone. It was felt that the dwelling would suffer
from an “unacceptable level of amenitydue to being enclosed by a car parking area and 1.8m high close boarded fencing” and therefore “inadequate in terms of the needs of a family dwelling”.
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