Maidstone East Edition Malling Edition
October 2017 March 2019
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
downsmail.co.uk
FREE No. 246
Mum cheatsprison after dog bitman’s finger off
Panto ahoy!
A JOBLESS mother of three has described her relief after cheating jail for owning a dangerous dog which bit a finger off the local postman.
THE cast of Cinderella, which is to be staged at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maid- stone, took to the River Medway to launch this year's panto. On board The Kentish Lady were national treasure Rustie Lee (Fairy Godmother), former EastEnder Ste- fan Booth (Prince Charming), Eliza- beth Bright (Cinderella), Craig Anderson (Buttons) and, pictured, Stephen Richards and Adam Bor- zone (Ugly Sisters) . They were greeted by pupils from
Emma Knell (37), of East
Malling, was facing 18 months in- side after her six-year-old bull ter- rier Rosie tore off Keith Bourne’s right hand ring finger, above the middle joint. Smiling and visibly relieved as
she left Maidstone magistrates court, Knell told Downs Mail: “That went better than expected, if I’m honest. I was expecting to go to prison. “But I have kids to look after, so
South Borough Primary School and members of the media. The panto runs from December 1-31. For tick- ets go to
www.hazlitttheatre.co.uk.
it’s a bit of a relief.” The court was told that on April
17 last year Knell was at home when the brindle Staffordshire bull terrier attacked Mr Bourne as he slid some post through the let- ter box in Elm Crescent. The pet sank its teeth into the
postie’s hand, but by the time he had freed himself, he realised one of his fingers was gone. Knell apologised profusely, and
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
Burberry Lane, near Leeds and Broomfield, has been targeted by waste dumpers for years, but in re- cent months, the problem has be- come more acute. Constructionwaste, rubble, hard
gave the postal worker a towel and some ice while she recovered the finger. Doctors were unable to reattach the digit to his hand. Mr Bourne suffered physical
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
and psychological damage from the attack, and has been unable to face the same round. Magistrates heard Knell had
been warned for a year before that her dog could cause an injury, but
we are having toilets, sinks and construction waste dumped in the village, specifically in Burberry Lane, where we are now thinking of installing cameras on private land, to oversee the problem area.” A recent event in Burberry Lane
saw a caravan burned out while a torched car remains on a footpath
due to family issues, it dropped down her list of priorities. Probation officer Matt Morish
said: “She does have a clear in- sight into the impact of this on the victim.” The bench chairman told Knell
nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen
many instances of illegal dumping. But it is a problem in many rural
that she was spared jail, but added: “This is a particularly se- rious offence and it caused seri- ous harm to the victim…and, of course, the loss of a finger is something he will never regain.” The court heard Knell suffers
from anxiety and depression. She also walks using a stick.
areas including Langley, Otham and Kingswood. Water Lane in Bearsted and Pilgrims Way have also been targeted recently. Last year, Maidstone Borough Council cleared 911 cases of fly-tip- ping and this year more than 163 have been recorded since April. The approaching darker evenings will prompt a rise in illegal tipping. Cllr Fort welcomed a joint initia-
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
unlicensed waste carriers, but be- lieves the cost to small firms of dis- posing of construction waste at a transfer station is proving a deter- rent that is costing councils more. Cllr Fort made her remarks as
one of the borough’s closest trans- fer stations at North Farm, Tun- bridge Wells, announced it will be closed for 10weeks. She added: “If you go along the
She was given a six-month jail
term suspended for a year, 250 hours of unpaid work and £780 compensation to the victim. She was given time to pay. The dog was also spared a de-
struction order. Knell denied owning a danger-
line of increasing fines, they have to be enforced. A reduction in the charge or offering it free may have the desired similar effect.” Athree-monthly litter pick on the mile-long stretch of road through Leeds village produces an average 32 black sacks of rubbish.
01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT
maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent
parish councillor, says teaching children about social responsibility and the issue of litter in schools will help take the issue off the streets. She believes with every household receiving a weekly refuse collection service, there is no excuse for litter being thrown from vehicles or dumped in the road.
Missing kids 12
MORE than 2,000 Kent chil- dren have gone missing from the education system . The rev- elations follow a report into the issue by the Children’s Commissioner.
Home Alarms supplied and fitted visit
www.amiga.co.uk or call 08000 199622 Cllr Fort, who also serves as a
ous, out of control dog which caused an injury at trial but was convicted. She appeared before the bench
for sentencing on March 1. Since the attack, Knell has
closed off the letter box and erected an external post box.
News
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
FREE No. 263
Kate, 107, diesNews
KATE Hart, a resident at an old people’s home in Bearsted, has died aged 107, her son David has disclosed.
HELEN Whately asked the government to halt the borough’s housing scheme.
Council tax rise 3
MP’s Local Plan bid Fines for early bins Plans for Dr Nigel
BOROUGH councillors have agreed to an above-inflation council tax hike for this year.
5 4
HOUSEHOLDERS could face legal action if they put their bins out too early or take them in too late.
Record ocean row Jason Donovan date
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
Bikes to be seized
POLICE poised to snatch vehicles from antisocial motorists and bikers in Larkfield.
Obituaries
21 22
Parish Councils 24-26 Obituaries Parish Councils 34-35
ASH dieback has been discovered in Monks Meadow in Detling; Hollingbourne village fete stall- holder co-ordinator Jean Duffy has resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow buses through Imperial Park; rub- bish bins in the sports field in Kingswoodare to be moved over to the picnic area and rear exit.
PARAMEDICS and parish council- lors joined forces to raise aware- ness of defibrillators in Addington; remedial work has been carried out after vandalism at the multi- use games area in Leybourne; crime in West Peckham is down but fly-tipping has increased; police have asked Speedwatch vol- unteers in Wateringbury to help neighbouring Nettlestead.
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Crime Reports 26 Comment 34-35
Crime Reports 35
VEHICLES have been driven over farmland in Lenham, causing damge to crops; an attempted break-in was reported in Detling; a vehicle was vandalised in Bearsted Rd, Weavering; pumpkins were stolen from an allotment in Lenham.
Inside this edition: Comment 46-47
A PLANNING application for a 204 space car park has shed light on a World War ll Stirling bomber crash in 1942 when eight crew died.
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
GRANDADS’ record-breaking ocean row raises money for an Aylesford military charity.
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