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News Drugs trio jailed after house raid
THREE drug dealers have been jailed for more than 15 years after police seized nearly nine kilo- grams of cocaine destined for the streets at a house in Ditton. Police arrested Aaron Elcombe
(38), from Birling, Lee Blanford (48), from Ditton, and Steven Savage (36), from Shepway, following the suc- cessful drugs operation. Maidstone Crown Court heard
how police saw Elcombe, of Ryarsh Road, get out of a vehicle in Acorn Grove carrying a heavy box into the garage. He emerged a few minutes later with the same box, which ap- peared lighter, and drove off. Fifteen minutes later Blanford arrived at the Acorn Grove address – his home. Elcombewas later stopped by po-
lice and the empty box in the boot of his carwas found to contain traces of white powder and he was taken back to Acorn Grove where officers found nearly 9kg of cocaine, 5kg of
Cherry farms
hit by fruit fly Continued from page one This year it has affected trees on
the farm’s orchards, which supply farm shops and supermarkets. The farm will be destroying any affected fruit. He said: “We have just started picking and are having to go over the trees to see which have been af- fected. I have heard from other growers who have been affected too, but at the moment it seems to be only on a small scale.” A spokesperson from British Summer Fruits, which represents 98% of UK berry growers, said: “There will be plenty of first-rate British cherries this summer. “Unlike other affected countries,
theUKindustry anticipated the ar- rival of SWD and set up a cross-in- dustry and government working group to ensure the correct meas- ures are in place.” Much of the advice for control-
ling the pest has come from work by East Malling Research.
Business hub THE enterprise hub due to open in Maidstone town centre this sum- mer will be called The Business Ter- race.
Work continues on converting
the first floor terrace of Maidstone Gateway, in King Street, into a space for start-up and small busi- nesses. Due to open by the end of July,
The Business Terrace will provide small businesses of up to nine em- ployees with eight offices, net- working, hot desks, seminar space and a meeting room. Karen Franek, principal economic development officer, said: “It is about businesses feeling they own the space.”
sisting, possessing cannabis and possessing CS spray. Maidstone Crown Court sen-
tenced Elcombe to five years and seven months; Blanford to six years and seven months and Savage to three-and-a-half years. DC Donna Hopper said: “The
Aaron Elcombe, Lee Blanford and Steven Savage
cannabis resin and 220g of herbal cannabis, along with 40kg of caffeine and 11kg of lactose and other drug production items. A receipt for 120kg of caffeine led police to Sav- age, from CambridgeWay in Shep- way. Officers also found a further 8gm of cocaine in the door pocket of
Elcombe’s car and small amounts of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin at his home address. At previous hearings Elcombe pleaded guilty to five counts of sup- plying and possessing Class A and Class B drugs and Lee Blanford to seven counts. Savage admitted as-
Barn hosts art exhibition
LOCAL artists were among the prizewinners at this year’s Pilgrims Way Artists summer exhibition. More than 30 painters, potters and sculptors fromall over the South East brought more than 350 works to the Tithe Barn in Lenham for the 10-day exhibition, which included a day whenartists demonstrated their skills and discussed their work. This year’s featured artist, Peter
Robson fromLoose, took the prize for the best watercolour with his piece Busy Day on the Grand Canal. Best work in showwas awarded to
Pauline Appleton, fromLenham, with her painting After the Storm. Two guest exhibitors were
awarded prizes. Best pastel went to Suzanne Norfolk, fromBearsted, with Black Velvet while From Weirton, a piece by Sue Batt (pictured), from
drugs we seized would have made the defendants a sizable amount of profit, but we were able to quickly intercept the delivery of the drugs and ensure that they didn’t enter cir- culation in Kent. Itwas obvious from the various items that we seized from Blanford’s house that he and Elcombe were involved in the sup- ply of drugs and I’m pleased thatwe have been able to put a stop to their offending.”
Carer’s ordeal
Boughton Monchelsea, took first place for best mixedmedia. Nigel Davison from Buckland Hill, Maidstone, took the prize for best drawing in pencil and ink with Dap- pled Light Wings. Headcorn sculptor Jane Richard-
son’s Mermaidwas declared the best figurativework. This is the 18th year that the Pil-
grimsWay Artists have held their ex- hibition in the 14th century barn.
Jail for pizza robbery
AMAIDSTONEman who robbed a pizza outlet in Chatham has been jailed for more than four years. He and an accomplice went to
the outlet on Chatham Hill in Chatham on August 28, 2014 and threatened staff with a knife and wooden bat before leaving with £180. Five days later the outletwas robbed again, when the offenders threatened to stab staff, but left empty-handed. Following a public appeal for in- formation, various tip-offs named Jacob Cloke (21) and Joshua Dalli- son (23) as the offenders. Finger- prints left at the scenewere linked to Dallison, and both menwere ar- rested. Jacob Cloke, of Hayle Road, Maidstone, admitted both of- fences and was sentenced to four
years and four months. Dallison, of Sittingbourne was convicted of the earlier robbery and was sen- tenced to three years and three months. Detective Constable Gavin Humphrey from Kent Police said: “To be the victim of one robbery is distressing enough, but just a few days later the same members of staff were subjected to extremely threatening behaviour, aggravated by the possession ofweapons. “Having committed the of- fences, Cloke sought to cover his tracks by asking people to falsely claim they were with him else- where. Fortunately these people were not willing to commit a crim- inal offence on his behalf and we have been able to put them behind bars.”
at knifepoint A CARE worker was robbed by two men as he was pushing a man in a wheelchair through an alley- way near Froyle Close, Allington. The victim was heading towards London Road when he was ap- proached by two men. One al- legedly produced a knife and held it towards the victim, demanding his wallet. When he refused to hand it over the second man is said to have repeatedly punched him in the head. One of the offenders then snatched a rucksack from the wheelchair. The men fled withwal- lets belonging to the victim and the man in the wheelchair. The first man is described as
white, in his 20s, slim, with mousey coloured hair. He was wearing a grey hooded top and light coloured slim fit jeans. The second man is also white and
believed to be in his 20s. He was about 6ft 2ins, slim and with spiky dark brown hair. Hewaswearing a charcoal tracksuit top and bottoms. Detective Constable Stuart Cook
said: “The impact of this crime will not only have traumatised the vic- tim but it is likely to also have a profound effect on the man in his care, who was completely helpless as these men carried out this despi- cable act. “I would urge anyone with any information to get in touch so we can find those responsible as soon as possible.” Call 01622 604100 with any infor- mation, quoting reference YY/013126/15. Alternatively, email
west.division.media.appeals@Kent.
pnn.police.uk or call Kent Crime stoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Maidstone Town August 2015 23
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