News
Pipped at post FORMERMaidstoneMPAnnWid- decombe finished second in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother series. She failed get more public votes
than drag queen Shane Jenek, also known as CourtneyAct. Despite airing controversial
views on gaymarriage and speak- ing hermind about royal bride-to- be Meghan Markle, Miss Widdecombe polled almost 40%of the final vote.
Plan on hold A PLAN to redevelop JB Garage Doors in StrawMillHill, Tovil, into 18 flats in a three-storey block has been deferred. The borough council’s planning
committee – concerned that it is not included in the Local Plan – has asked the applicant to improve the
plan.Councillorswereworried the site had spaces for only 18 cars.
Festival bill FORMER X-factor winner Alexan- dra Burke will headline this year’s Big Day Out festival inMote Park. The singer will headline the
main stage in July and she will be joined by fellow X-Factor finalists Grace Davies and Kevin Davy White.
downsmail.co.uk
Quick thinking by staff helps put robber in jail
THE public has helped put behind bars a masked raider who threat- ened staff at a service station near Maidstone. In spite of the attack occurring in
the early hours, Maidstone Crown Court heard how a van driver and severalmembers of the public came to the aid of two staff at Farthing Corner services, on theM2. The prosecution case went on to
reveal how Russell Hadley (32) went into the shop at the petrol sta- tion at around 5.40am onWednes- day, January 3 and demanded staff hand over cash. With his face covered andholding
a screwdriver,Hadleywent behind the till to help himself tomoney be- fore filling a bag with cigarettes fromthe kiosk. While he was distracted, two
members of staff got away and locked the front door, preventing Hadley fromleaving the shop. A member of the public also
Three-year prison sentence for masked raider Russell Hadley
moved his van in front of the door to prevent himgetting out. However, Hadley kicked the glass door and used several fire ex-
tinguishers to break the glass and eventually managed to leave through a small gap. Once outside, a number of people
helped to detain him before police officers arrived and he was taken into custody. Hadley, of no fixed address, ad-
mitted one charge of robbery and one charge of criminal damage after targeting the petrol station andwas jailed on February 6 to three years. Investigating officer Detective
Constable Daniel Bister said: “Hadley tried his very best to es- cape the shop following this rob- bery but the quick thinking of the staff preventedhimfromdoing this. “Various people using the service
station also helped to keep him at the scene before officers arrived. “I hope his sentence and the ac-
tions of those involved act as a de- terrent to anyone else who may be thinking of committing a similar crime.”
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Maidstone March 2018
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