News


downsmail.co.uk ‘Avery, very long 8months’


IT WAS meant to be an act of selfless, community volunteering, but it would land Coxheath postman RichardWebb in court and subject himto eightmonths of stress and uncertainty.


The 43-year-old, who is also a


prominent LiberalDemocrat in the village where he grew up, had been accused of assaulting a 12- year-old boy during a dodge ball game at the local youth centre. In an altercationwith the lad last


November, the borough councillor maintained he had acted purely in self-defence. Evenmoremystifyingly, for him,


was the need for a full police in- vestigation and ultimately the de- cision to proceed with a criminal prosecution. But less surprising to his small


army of supporters fromall politi- cal parties and walks of life was that he was rapidly acquitted. “I justwant to get back to normal


now,” he told Downs Mail in his first full interview since the court case in July.


Robbery case man in court


POLICE have charged a man with robbery and firearms offences in Yalding. Officers and the South East Coast


Ambulance Service were called to an address inBenoverRoadat about 3.30amonMarch 16, 2018. A man in his 30s was treated at


the scene for serious injuries and taken to a London hospital. On Wednesday, August 22,


Kodee Powell (23), of no fixed ad- dress,was chargedwith conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a firearm. He appeared before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on Friday,August 24. Investigatorspre- viously arrested and charged three men with the same offences. All were remanded to Maidstone Crown Court on September 10. They wereMarlonManning (42),


of The Green, Bearsted; Stephan Allen (24), of Chigwell, Essex; and Robert Powell (48), ofGrays, Essex. Jhabril Freeman (41), of East Dul-


wich, London, was previously charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and with possession of a firearmwithintent to cause fear, and was bailed to appear at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court onAugust 24. In connection with the investiga-


tion, a man and two women were charged with assisting an offender. They are Asif Malik (41), of Ilford, Essex; Amy Wallace (30), of Lan- cashire Road, Maidstone; and Thea Smitherman (27), ofHughen- den Reach,Maidstone.


4 Air show pulls in the crowds


CROWDS ofmore than 10,000 attended the Combined OpsMilitary and Air Show at Headcorn Aerodrome, say the organisers. Aircraft, military vehicles, 60 living history displays and over 100 trade


stands were among the attractions for the weekend event on August 18 and 19. The 350 exhibits included one of the largest collections of military ve-


hicles, fromthe humblemilitarymotorcycle tomain battle tanks. Visitors also saw more than 200 take-offs and landings, including those by the RAF Battle of BritainMemorial Flight, Lancaster and a Chinook. Families enjoyed taking time to soak up the history of previousmilitary


encounters and those dressed in costumes of the time and re-enactment groups who brought the event to life. Next year’s event, run in conjunction with the airfield and InvictaMili- tary Vehicle Preservation Society, will be on August 10 and 11.


“It has been a very, very long


eight months. There have been darkmoments.” Standing in late summer sun-


shine, next to the memorial bench to his mother, Cynthia, herself a one-time borough councillor, Cllr Webb is careful not to sound bitter. He added: “I was a little sur-


prised that itwent as far as it did. I thought I gave a good account to the police that I had acted in self- defence. “Anyway, that was the way that


we went down at the trial and it was proved to be so. I amvery sur- prised that I was made out to be the aggressor.” It was only Cllr Webb’s third


week as a youth volunteer when the child made a complaint about him, which led to his arrest. Now he is wary about public service.


“I grew up in Coxheath, live in


Coxheath and Coxheath is in my blood. But thiswhole business has putme off, for sure, and I amvery careful aboutwhat I amvolunteer- ing for these days.” But despite being under a cloud


of suspicion for eight months, he did enjoy the support of his family, friends and political colleagues of all stripes. Under national party rules, the


LibDems suspended himuntil the trial was concluded at Maidstone Magistrates Court. “The trial finished on a Thursday


and I was back in the party by Monday. I received a lot of per- sonal support from family and friends but also from people in other political parties. “People had such kind things to say tome. Itmeant a lot.”


Coucil reviews


legal challenge MAIDSTONE Borough Council (MBC)management hasmet to dis- cuss progress on its challenge to the authority’s failed judicial re- view. On August 24, the team con-


ferred with legal experts before proceeding with a tax-payer funded “oral hearing” over road levies. Liberal Democrat-led MBC took


Kent County Council (KCC) to the High Court in London over the al- location of funding for the studies into a Leeds-Langley relief road. However, Mrs Justice Lang


threw it out, as MBC had not pre- sented an “arguable” case. The case has cost the tax-payer


£14,500 in legal costs, which will rise steeply if it goes back to court. IndependentMaidstone council-


lor Eddie Powell warned a prece- dent could be set shouldMBClose. MBC chief executive Alison


No sleeping formothman Pump house sale


A MAN from Marden encountered a giant, flying beast coming through his bedroom window. Nick Harper had a late night sur- prise one nightwhen, at 3am, ahugemothflewthroughhiswindow as he tried to sleep.He said: “At first I thought itwas amassive hor- net, aMay bug or a small bat. But it turned out to be an poplar hawk moth.” The creature - which hasa four inch wing span - is believed to be similar to the elephant hawkmoth,which tends to have pinkwings.


Maidstone Weald September 2018


Broomsays she needs to challenge KCC in the High Court for “clar- ity” on howSection 106money (de- veloper contributions) is spent by the county council on roads.


ACURIOUS building is up for sale in East Farleigh. The Pump House in Dean Street


was built in the 1960s. It is on a tiny plot of 0.04 acres and theMaidstone auctioneers selling it for a guide price of £30,000 claim“theremight be development potential”.


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