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downsmail.co.uk Scam frontman sent to prison


A FRAUSDSTER who provided a “front” for dodgy builders to con elderly people out of money has been sent to prison.


The building and roofing scams,


which included cases in Tovil and Ashford, were part of seven scams being operated across Kent, Surrey and London in 2010 and 2011, with victims in their 60s and 70s. Vincenzo Gimigliano assisted


these criminals by accepting and cashing their cheques. The Inner London Crown Court


heard he turned a blind eye, credit- ing 10 cheques and a money trans- fer, amounting to £99,000, into accounts held by him. As a consequence of his part in


the operation, Gimigliano, from Oxfordshire, was jailed for 14 months after he finally admitted 11


counts of money laundering. He was also ordered to pay £35,000 in compensation. The court heard cheques were


made payable to a company named EMC, to which Gimigliano had ac- cess and while he admitted having doubts about the source of the money, asked no questions. In sentencing Judge TudorOwen


said: “A number of elderly victims were cheated and deceived for work thatwas either not needed or charged at exorbitant amounts. This is not only criminal but mean offending. “The victimswere asked to make payment to a company, making it


all the more credible and giving it an air of respectability. This is not to say you asked for these monies. However, you provided the bank accounts. “You acted for a series of people


who may or may not have been connected and they came to you because of the service you offered them. Getting the money is one thing, turning it into cash is an- other; a very important part of the process. “You chose to do it. The criminal-


ity of money laundering cannot be underestimated.” The investigation was led by KCC Trading Standards officers,


with support from other local au- thorities and the Tri Region Scam- buster Team, which assisted in obtaining victim and witness evi- dence. Kent County Council Trading Standards spokesman Clive Phillips said: “We are pleased with this result which again highlights what can be achieved when local authorities work together. “Although it is not always possi-


ble to identify the principal offend- ers, we will always follow the money and take action against those who choose to conceal the ill- gotten gains of these doorstep criminals.”


Kent pupils shine in new tests


KENT students have scored above the national average when it comes to the 3Rs.


The figures show 58% of the county’s primary school children achieved new standards set for reading, writing and arithmetic, whereas nationally, only 53% of pupils made the grade.


Hardy guide


by GP Tony By Dennis Fowle


THE affection and deep knowl- edge Dr Tony Fincham has of Thomas Hardy’sWessex shines through in his new book. Dr Fincham, senior partner in


the Yalding Surgery, is immedi- ate past chairman of The Hardy Society and a current vice-pres- ident. The 88-page well-illustrated


book will help guide visitors to Dorset and neighbouring West Country and also delight fol- lowers of one of Britain’s most respected authors. The book is a tourist and


walker’s guide, especially in and around Dorchester. It weaves in the Hardy stories and especially the fictional charac- ters.


Hardy created his own name


places for his Wessex and the book includes a fascinating guide to so many. “Exploring Thomas Hardy’s


Wessex” is published by The Dovecote Press (£7.95) and is available from Yalding Surgery.


While the figures are still disap- pointing, KCC cabinet member for education Roger Gough says progress is being made and the low achievement rate nationally demonstrates how difficult the new tests are. In Kent:


 69% of pupils achieved the ex- pected standard in reading (66% nationally)  80% achieved the expected stan- dard in writing (74% nationally); and in mathematics  71% of pupils in Kent achieved the expected standard, compared


to 70% nationally This year’s results are the first to be released since the introduction in 2014 of a more rigorous curricu- lum that raises the bar in terms of expectations of young people’s mastery of literacy and numeracy. Cllr Gough added: “It is good that Kent pupils have achieved such good results compared with the national average. In previous years, measured against the old


standards, we were making good progress and had closed the gap with the national average; under the new standards, this has been surpassed. “However, it is disappointing and surprising to find that the new assessment arrangements have re- sulted in just over half of pupils na- tionally achieving the expected standard at the end of their pri- mary school education.”


Rotary’s Mike heralds changes Driving ban


NEW President for the Rotary Club of the Weald of Kent is Michael Lawrence of Bearsted, head of the local five- branch Family Funeral Service. He was


installed by retiring President Chris Jesson at a weekly club


meeting at the Who’d a Thought It in Grafty Green.


Michael leads a club which has


now raised more than £500,000 for charity – half of which has gone to cancer research. The money has been raised over the 31 years the branch has organised an annual walk, which attracts an average of 370 people to the Harrietsham area.


Michael said his emphasis would be on increasing membership and he forecast some changes to secure the club’s future. He has been a member of Weald


for two years after five years with the Rotary Club of Maidstone.


A 28-YEAR-OLD woman from Maidstone has had her driving li- cence taken away after she admit- ted drink driving. Kayleigh Anne Gleeson, of Bishops Close, gave a blood test of 160ml of alcohol in 100ml of blood after she was stopped in a BMW on the A249 at Stockbury on De- cember 22 2015. The legal limit for driving is 80ml. Gleeson was sentenced at Mid Kent Magistrates Court to an 18- month driving ban. She was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £20 vic- tim surcharge.


For more local news www.downsmail.co.uk 24 Maidstone Town August 2016


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