News Firmhits 50


A RESPECTED insurance com- pany is celebrating 50 years in business. Terry Osborne Insurance, of


changed


Loose, has been providing insur- ance to publicans, restaurateurs and businesses for the last five decades. Mr Osborne said: “Things have dramatically...never


more so than in the insurance in- dustrywith newrules and regula- tions at every turn. This year, we’ve concentrated on getting our website updated along with our socialmedia and a newlogo. “Publicans are struggling at


present, by offering them a com- petitive insurancewe are not only assisting themfinancially but also giving them peace of mind that we are at the end of the telephone shouldwe be needed.”


Mystery fire


FIFTY tonnes of straw caught alight inMote Park onAugust 5. Two fire engines and a bulk


water carrier were sent to the scene at around 7.15pm. No casualtieswere reported and the fire’s cause is not yet known.


downsmail.co.uk


‘Shocking record’ thief avoids prison sentence


ASERIAL shoplifterwith a “hor- rendous” criminal record dodged jail after stealing a hoover, razors and laundry products fromMaid- stone to fundhisheroinaddiction. Matthew John Gillett (36), of


Tufton Street, Maidstone, stole a vacuumcleanerworth£100 fromTJ Hughes, laundry products worth £68 from Wilkinson’s and £100 worth of razors fromBoots. The court heard how tracksuit-


wearing Gillett, a heroin addict for 21 years, hadalmost 40 convictions. Prosecuting, James Nichols told


MaidstoneMagistrates Court none of the items was recovered and were all caught on CCTV. Gillett, pictured, is currentlyona 12-month community order for shoplifting. Probation officer, Emma Robson


said the defendant had been clean for eightmonths but started using drugs again, stealing to pay for heroin,which cost him£20 a day. She added: “At the time of the of- fence, he recognised he had no


money to fund the heroin use and had also received bad news about his accommodation. He had also just lost his grandmother. “MrGillett has 38 convictions for


82 offences, mostly for breaches of suspended sentences and commu- nityorders.Hedoesnothave anof- ficial mental health diagnosis, but his GP concluded he suffers from depression and anxiety. “His GP also said he has a hole


in his groindue to injecting himself so finds movement like walking difficult.He has amediumto high risk of re-offending.” Chairman of the bench, Gary


Knight said: “Looking at the records, it seems someone has givenMr Gillett a chance on com- munity orders and he’s just thought to himself ‘it doesn’tmat- ter, I can just breach it again’.” Defending,RussellMorling said:


“He has got a horrendous record, but it has sloweddown.He started using heroin again but is not any more. If he goes to prison, what’s most likely is hewill be back on the streetswhen he gets out because he will losehis accommodation.” Mr Knight said because of


progressmade in tackling reoffend- ing, he avoided a 90-day jail term. Gillett admitted three counts of theft andwas fined £200with a 12- month suspended sentence. MrGillett toldthebench:“I’mglad to be givenanother opportunity.”


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