downsmail.co.uk
Drug addicts caught on CCTVstealing groceries
TWOMaidstone women desper- ate to kick their heroin habits stole groceries worth £50 from a Spar store, a court heard. Rachel Hobbs (31) and Keri
Simpson (37), of Postley Road, ap- peared at Maidstone Magistrates Court after CCTV found them working together in a bid to steal £50 worth of groceries from the Spar store in Staplehurst. Prosecuting, Julie Farvarce said
last June thewomen,picturedleav- ing court,were seen on camera se- lecting various items off the store shelves andSimpsonputting them in a bag held byHobbs. The pair then headed for the exit
with no attempts to pay.When ar- rested and interviewed, both women made “no comment” to the footage but decided to admit the offences when they got to court. Magistrates heard Hobbs was indanger of going toprison as she was in breach of two sus- pended sentences. Defending,
Manjit Tessi said: “What a desper- ate set of
circumstances.These two women are vulnerable through their history and in their financial circumstances. “The only saving grace inthis sit-
uation is that they have bothmade incredible progress in (treatment for) themisuse of heroin and have
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attended all theirmeetings.” Chairman of the bench, Nigel
Cox told Simpson she is in a slightly different situation to Hobbs, as she was not on a com- munity order at the time of the crime. He said: “The offence is not the biggest in theworld, but I hope yougetoutontotheothersideof this muddlewith drugs. Please continue withyour appointments.” ProbationofficerMatthewMorish
confirmedthewomen,whoareboth jobless, hadmade progress in deal- ingwith their drug habits. MrCox then said toHobbs: “You
are inamuchmoredangerousposi- tionandyoucouldgotoprison.But we are not going to send you to prison and the reason is that you have been making progress with your treatment.” Hobbs was given an 18-month
community order and a £285 fine alongwith80hoursofunpaidwork. Simpson was given an 18-month community order and a £335 fine.
News Heater blaze
A FAULTY fan heater may have caused a fire inMaidstone. The blaze started at a house in
MurrainDriveonJanuary27andfive fire engines and crewswere sent to the scene at around10.30pm. Two residents suffered smoke in-
halationandweretreatedat thescene
byparamedics.Theyhadescapedthe buildingbeforethe999crewsarrived at the address. Localsreportedseeingflamescom-
ingoutof anupstairswindow. Firefighters were at the scene for
more thantwohours. The fire was believed to have
spread from an upstairs bedroom, across the landing and down the stairway
Inbigtrouble
AMAIDSTONEman had hiswife’s carseizedafterhewascaughtdriving itwithout insurance. HewasstoppedinTylandLaneon
January 31 at 11am in his spouse’s FordFocusby membersof theCom- munitySafetyUnit. AspokesmanforKentPolice said:
“The local man was reported for drivingwithout insurance and the vehiclewas seized.”
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