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News Life for thugs who killed Joele


THREE Lithuanian men responsible for the bru- tal murder of a waiter in Maidstone have been sentenced to life in prison. Maidstone Crown Court heard


that victim Joele Leotta was left with 100 injuries after the three men rained down blow after blow on the 20-year-old and his friend, who they mistakenly believed had com- plained to their landlord about the noise. Joele and Alex Galbiati had fin-


ished work at the Vesuvius restau- rant in Lower Stone Street andwere in their bedsit above the Italian restaurant. Theywere ready for bed when the drunken gang who lived upstairs launched their attack late on Sunday, October 20, 2013. The childhood friends, who had


arrived in Britain just the week be- fore on the adventure of a lifetime. had heard noises from the room above and someone trying their door.


Galbiati shouted out “go away”,


but their locked doorwas kicked in. The court heard Leotta and Gal-


biati were then subjected to a vi- cious attack by Aleksandras


Zuravliovas (26), Linas Zidonis (21) and Saulius Tamoliunas (24). Galbiatiwas left with grievous in-


juries and Leottawas so badly hurt he later died. Speaking at the end of the 11-


week trial that found all three guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm, Judge Philip Statman said: “You had within you murderous in- tent. Your conduct towards these two young men showed no mercy. “You attacked as a pack and used


a variety ofweapons.” Zuravliovas was given life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years. Zidonas and Tamoliunas also received life sentences, with a min- imum term of 20 years. The three men will also serve 12-year concur- rent sentences for causing grevious bodily harm to Galbiati that night. Tomas Gelezinis (31) was also charged with murder and grievous bodily harm, but was acquitted by a jury. The judge, police and prosecution solicitor all praised Galbiati for returning to Maidstone to “re- live such a traumatic experience”, which was crucial to the con- victions.


Speaking after sen- tencing, his friend’s family described Joele as kind, loving, re- spectful and deter- mined,


Police at the Vesuvius restaurant in Lower Stone St Neighbour


spots blaze SHARP-eyed residents in Barming saved the day when they spotted smoke coming from a neighbour’s house. The neighbours raised the alarm


when they saw smoke at an up- stairs window of a house in Cherry OrchardWay. The homeowner discovered a


fire, believed to have been caused by a candle, in an upstairs bed- room, and managed to put out the blaze before firemen arrived at the scene.


Damage was confined to the car-


pet and part of the wall. Maidstone watch manager Chris Puxted said: “This incident could have been so much worse if the neighbour hadn’t noticed the smoke. Unfortunately, the smoke alarm upstairs was not working and the fire could have developed into a potentially life-threatening


32 Maidstone Town August 2014 “Nobody can see the


Victim Joele Leotta (left) with his friend Alex Galbiati, and below, killers Linas Zidonis, Aleksandras Zuravliovas and Saulius Tamoliunas


painwe carry inside ourselves. In a statement, they said: “He did


not deserve something so ugly to happen to him. “Joele would never sow hatred, violence or cowardice. The memory of Joele is our strength; the memory of his voice with thewords: ‘Every- thing is cool, see you tomorrow’.” DI Ivan Beasley described the


adding:


young man’s death as a “tragic waste of life”. Chief Crown Prosecutor Jaswant


Narwal said the “senseless attack” had been “completely unpro- voked”. He said: “The violence seems to


have stemmed from a mistaken be- lief that they had complained about noise in the building. “Our thoughts are now with


Joele’s family, who have conducted themselves with great dignity throughout the entire legal process. We hope the verdict brings some small comfort to them.”


Pre-schools achieve quality mark


A PRE-school in Maidstone and one in Staplehurst are among 14 in the county to earn the prestigious Kent Quality Mark. The quality assurance mark – de-


signed to encourage nurseries and pre-schools to raise standards – have been awarded to The Kidsun- limited Day Nursery at Turkey Mill and Staplehurst’s Chapel Lane Pre- School.


Congratulating them, Roger


A SINGLE-STOREY detached annex was given planning permis- sion at 334 Upper Fant Road, Fant. Aneighbour complained that the annex, measuring 10m long and 2.7m tall, would compromise his privacy. Some councillors felt the building would be out of keeping with the Medway Valley. They thought itwould cause the resident


Gough, KCC’s cabinet member for education, said both had demon- strated the highest standards in- volved in running an early years organisation. He added: “High quality early education is critical to creating a passion in the very youngest chil- dren to become life-long learners.” The scheme has shown there is a


high correlation between nurseries and pre-schools who take part in


Annex allowed by planners


of the annex to be hemmed in and potentially surrounded by garden fences on two of the sides. However, a reduction in height of


0.2m would allow the annex to get the go-ahead through permitted development rights. The planning committee allowed


the scheme providing the annex was shielded by landscaping.


the scheme and those achieving im- provements in Ofsted grading from good to outstanding. Kidsunlimited at Ashford Road celebrated its second birthday in March and received an outstanding grade in its latest Ofsted inspection. The Chapel Lane Pre-School has been running places for children at the community hall in the village since 1971, as a committee run non- profit making charity.


Thief in court


AMAIDSTONE man was given a suspended sentence at Medway Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to shoplifting. Josh Drewett (23), of Peel Street,


stole aftershave worth £60 from a shop in the Chequers Centre. He was sentenced to 90 days in prison, suspended for 12 months, with £85 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.


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