Carl remembered, six months on


THE Harrietsham family of murdered schoolteacher Carl Davies released lanterns over the Isle of Sheppey tomark the anniversary of his death. Friends and family gathered


to mark the anniversary in Sit- tingbourne’sWoodstock Sports and Social Club, before releas- ing the lanterns over Minster Beach the following night. Former Royal Marine Carl


(33) taught at Sittingbourne Community College, and was head of public services at the Isle of Sheppey Academy, be- fore flying out to the Indian Ocean island of Reunion in No- vember last year to work as a security guard. He had been working for a private security firm as part of an anti-piracy operation when he was killed, just three days after arriving on the island. Carl’s parents Andy (53) and Maria (52), who live in Pil-


M20 survey PARISH councils near the M20 are raising money for a noise survey.


Hollingbourne, Boxley, Ul- combe, Lenham, Detling, Thurnham and Leeds are among the parishes looking to raise £1,900 for the survey. They are involved in the M20


Noise Action Group, which hopes the survey will persuade the Highways Agency to resur- face the road to modern stan- dards between junctions eight and nine to make it quieter. Andrew Ogden, of CPRE, and


Clive Bainbridge, of Westwell Parish Council, near Ashford, are learning about road surfac- ing techniques, and previous research into noise is being used as evidence. CPRE has agreed to handle donations and keep the ac- counts for the project. For information, e-mail an-


drew.ogden@protectkent.org.uk ,contact Andrew Ogden at CPRE Protect Kent in Charing on 01233 714542.


grim’s Retreat, were originally told their son had died after falling into a steep ravine and that a post-mortem examina- tion had been carried out and the local police chief identified ‘no suspicious circumstances’. His family believe his murder


was covered up to protect the image of the French island, where tourism accounts for 70% of its income. They learned from a French journalist, who had seen the post-mortem report that Carl, a former Green Beret, had been brutally stabbed to death and beaten with a bat. The report listed head injuries and multi- ple stab wounds as among the causes of death. There is also an allegation he was sexually assaulted. It is believed Carl’s body was tossed over the edge of the ravine, where it was later dis- covered, still with his mobile


was carried out, but the dossier needs to be translated. Their son served in Iraq and Northern Ireland before leaving theMarines in 2005. He had been on Reunion for


Former Marine Carl Davies


phone, credit cards and cash. Reunion is a French-adminis-


tered island and Carl’s parents have now received a file from the French police about how the investigation into his death


just three days when he died and was protecting the Atlantic Trader, a ship docked close to the capital, Saint-Denis. Andy andMaria launched an appeal – Justice for Carl – in order to pay for the prosecution of the killer, should he be caught, and earlier this year, they posted a YouTube video to mark the sixth-month anniver- sary of his death and highlight their cause. The video clip was produced


for the family by Steve Martin, and features pictures of Carl, as well as three songs, two of which – Half the World Away, by Oasis, and Hero by Enrique Iglesias –were played at his fu- neral.


Plan for homes


MP Hugh Roberston and head Richard Baddely join pupils for a Powerhoop session at Swadelands School


Sporty pupils have the power PUPILS from Swadelands School in Lenham demonstrated their Pow- erhoopmoves to localMPHugh Robertson. The students, mostly aged 14, showed what could be achieved through sixweeks of training by performing a routine that the localMP described as “remarkable”. Rachel Morgan,whoruns Lenham-basedRachel’s FitnessandDance,


took the training classes, whichwere funded bySport England’s Sporti- vate scheme. Powerhoop develops core strategy and strength through dance. Mr Robertson said: “To learn this in sixweeks is little short of remarkable.”


Court fencing accepted RETROSPECTIVE planning permission was granted for the erection of 2.4m-high green weld mesh boundary fencing at The Oaks, Westfield Sole Road,Walderslade. The structure surrounds a tennis court and the scheme includes the erection of front entrance gates. The planning committee granted consent despite an objection from Boxley Parish Council, whose representative Bob Hinder said: “This will have a detrimental effect on the countryside. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is becoming blighted by fencing walls and gates.” However, because the developmentwas located outside the Kent Downs AONB, the committee was unable to refuse the scheme. Members voted unanimously in favour of al- lowing the retention of the fence, on condition that a landscaping scheme was extended from five to 10 years, due to proximity to ancient woodland at CowbeckWoods.


40 East


Talk a blooming success CHELSEA Flower Show gold medallist Robin White (pictured) entertained a packed audience at Hunkerdown Daisy on Ashford Road, Bearsted, with his floristry skills and witty banter. The evening raised


more than £350 for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and follows owner Sara Henderson’s pledge to raise over £1,000 for can- cer charities this year. Earlier this year, she com- pleted the 26-mile Moon Walk in London. She said: “I am pleased


to have beaten my £1,000 target before Christmas, and managed to have had lots of fun along the way too!”


is amended A PLANNING application has been submitted to build 12 new homes in Lenham. Developer Rogate’s scheme would see the creation of four free-market four-bedroom de- tached homes fronting Old Ashford Road, and eight three- bedroom homes for over 55s, accessed from behind the med- ical centre in GroomWay. The proposal has been slightly amended to the one re- ported by Downs Mail in the summer, when a consultation evening informed local resi- dents there would be three free market homes and nine for older people. A supporting statement says


there will be 28 parking spaces: “The purpose of the age restric- tion is to enable the overall pro- vision of car parking to be lowered and, as the units are arranged in terraces and around a square, it will reduce potential conflicts between residents of different ages.” Should Maidstone Council


grant planning permission, the developer would need to buy 33% of the land from the parish council, which would use the money to pay off a loan out- standing on the community centre in GroomWay. Loans totalling £300,000


were taken out to fund the com- munity centre, which opened in 2004. There are 17 years re- maining on this bill, which makes up £20,000 of the coun- cil’s annual £57,000 precept. The statement added: “The doctors’ surgery lies to the north of the site and there are no issues with privacy. Because the development is


for less than 15 units, no af- fordable housing has to be pro- vided.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


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