Boy hit by car POLICE have appealed for wit- nesses after a 12-year-old boy was hit by a car in Shepway. The collision occurred at around 5.20pm on January 14 in Northumberland Road, at the junction with Cumberland Av- enue, opposite the church. A silver Mercedes is reported
to have hit the boy. The driver got out and asked the boy if he was OK. The boy said he was and the driver left. However, the boy later required hospital treatment for serious bruising to his legs and chest. Officers are keen to speak to
any witnesses and the driver. Call PC Shelly Hall on 101.
Treasurer stole from kids’ club
AN after-school club has pledged to keep going after over £30,000 was stolen from the accounts by its former treasurer. Dion Darley (41), of Lushing-
ton Road, Maidstone, was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to fraud by abuse of posi- tion. In 2001, Darley was ap- pointed as the treasurer of Quackers after-school club, at Northborough Primary School. In May last year, a colleague, who also had access to the Quackers bank account, noticed a series of unrecognised trans- actions. She went to the bank
expecting there to be £8,000- £10,000 in the account, but found that there was only £65. She then contacted police
who launched an investigation. Dion Darley was arrested at
her home and a club cheque- book was seized from her car. She admitted the offence, say- ing she had carried out a num- ber of small transactions, and when no one noticed she con- tinued, with ever increasing amounts being taken. Canter- bury Crown Court heard the total amount taken eventually totalled £31,264. Club administrator Amanda
Witts said: “Because of what’s happened we have been run- ning on a shoestring, but we will be staying open. I am hop- ing some businesses will feel sorry for us and help with equipment.” Detective Constable Simon Powell said: “The money would have been used for wages, rent and bills, and left the children using second-rate equipment. “This was a serious breach of
trust and displayed a high level of contempt for the people she worked with. As a result Dion Darley now has to serve a prison sentence.”
Young sporting achievers celebrate their awards
THE achievements of Maidstone’s young ath- letes and their coaches were celebrated at the 22nd annual Youth Sport Achievement Awards (YSAA). The event, organised by Maidstone Council,
sawthe presentation of14awards and10train- ing grants of £100 each, sponsored by the Ro- tary Club of the Weald of Kent and the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust. StFrancis’ Catholic PrimarySchool Girls’ foot-
ball team (pictured) was named team of the year, following their battle in theEnglishSchools Football Association Tesco seven-a-side tourna- ment last year. The girls were defeated in the semi-final,but represented the schoolandMaid- stone through their dedication, hard work and enthusiasm. TheStAugustineAcademy’s leadership team,
a group of students aged 11 to 18 who organ- ise sporting events for primary school children, won the award for outstanding youth service to sport.Ahighlight for the teamlast yearwas run- ning the activities at the Leeds Castle Olympic Torch Event for over 1,500 people.
Sponsors of the awards included Golding
Homes, KCC, Kent County Playing Fields Asso- ciation and the Maidstone Leisure Trust. Other awardswent to:
Sports personality: John Saunders YSAA Bronze: Abigail Clarke; YSAA Silver: Hattie Molloy; Service to sport: Tommy Harbord Outstanding personal achievement: Lauren Lethbridge; Disability sport award: Edward Carter; Club of the year:Maidstone Hockey Club; Primary school of the year: Barming Primary School and PalaceWood Primary School; Secondary school of the year: St Augustine Academy and St Simon Stock Catholic School; Rising to the challenge: Luke Jarvis; Fair play: Peter Hipkiss.
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