Local News

Pic: Tim Oxley and Melissa Herbert from the SBC Stray Dog Team

Swale Borough Council’s stray dog service has been highlighted as one of the best in the country by the RSPCA for the eleventh year in a row.

The service has been awarded the Gold Pawprint Award, which recognises good practice in animal welfare by local authorities in England and Wales. Alongside this award, the council has also been awarded the Gold Pawprint Award for Contingency Planning for the fourth year in a row.

The award for contingency planning is given to council’s that can demonstrate a comprehensive set of processes and procedures that protect animal welfare in the event of an emergency. The council also provides information to help animal-based businesses be prepared to look after their animals in the event of an emergency. 

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: "We’re delighted to be recognised for all the hard work we do in caring for stray dogs and the welfare of animals during an emergency. This is the fourth year in a row we’ve received the Gold Pawprints Award for contingency planning, which is well deserved for our resilience team who’ve been working hard to make sure we have procedures and processes in place to ensure the welfare of animals during an emergency.”

Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for environment at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “The Gold Pawprints Award recognises us for going above and beyond to ensure the high welfare standards for the animals across the borough. Our stray dog team really does put their heart and soul into caring for the stray animals they find, as well as actively promoting the schemes and services we offer such as micro-chipping. We’ve received this award for 11 years in a row and we will continue to work hard to keep up the high level of service we’ve been recognised for.”

For news on stray dogs found in Swale, check the council’s twitter account or the service’s Facebook page.  

To find out more about how you can prepare to look after your animals during an emergency visit www.swale.gov.uk/emergency-pet-welfare.

To report a stray dog during normal office hours, the public should call 01795 417850 where arrangements will be made for the dog to be collected.

If a dog is found between 5pm and 9pm on weekday evenings, and between 9am and 9pm at weekends and on bank holidays, the public should ring the found stray dog line on 07795 237479.

Two men have been jailed after investigators found photographs of stolen property on their mobile phones that proved they were responsible for a spate of thefts across west Kent and Sittingbourne.

Darren Mills (left) and William Adams (right) conspired to steal vehicles, trailers and plant machinery between Sunday 1st December 2019 and Tuesday 18th February 2020.

Together they stole three vans, two Land Rovers, a trailer, a climbing wall, a high pressure jet washer and attempted to steal a further trailer from locations including Sittingbourne, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Paddock Wood.

Separately, between Monday 3rd February and Tuesday 11th February, Adams also stole a Land Rover, a caravan, a trailer and attempted to steal two further Land Rovers and a digger on a trailer from Paddock Wood, Kemsley, Marden, Sittingbourne and Burwash in Sussex.

Mills was alone when he also stole a van from Sittingbourne on Monday 2nd December 2019.

The pair planned the thefts over their mobile phones and used cars with false number plates to travel to the scene of their crimes and in some cases brazenly tow away stolen trailers when their owners were distracted.

Following the thefts they discussed disposing of the property via text and in some cases sent photographs of the stolen items to prospective buyers.

Mills of Rectory Road, Sittingbourne was arrested on 18th February and Adams of no fixed address was detained on 20th February.

Officers seized their mobile phones and were able to recover text conversations and photographs of some of the stolen property. Investigators proved they were responsible together or separately for offences where property valued at around £100,000 had been stolen.

Both were later charged with conspiracy to commit theft. They pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and on Monday 14 September 31-year-old Mills was jailed for four years and one month and 21-year-old Adams was sentenced to three years and nine months.

Detective Chief Inspector Lopa McDermott, of the Kent Police Chief Constable’s Crime Squad, told SFM News: "These two criminals brazenly committed their crimes when the owners were distracted or drivers were making deliveries. They ran their offending as a business, discussing which items to steal and advertising the stolen property by sending photographs to potential buyers. Their arrogance was their downfall when investigators checked their mobile phones and found incriminating text conversations and the images. The impact on the victims should not be underestimated and in some cases businesses ceased trading due to the financial loss. It is only right that Mills and Adams are now in prison."

Class A drugs and 120 cannabis plants were seized by Kent Police from an industrial site in Iwade earlier today (Wednesday 9th September).

Two hundred wraps of heroin or cocaine were found at the location, off Raspberry Hill, following a dawn search warrant carried out by several agencies.

Four shipping containers are also reported to have been found being used to grow cannabis and three men, aged between 18 and 59, were arrested as part of enquiries into the cultivation.

Two dogs, two agricultural mowers and a caravan were also seized due to suspicions they had been stolen.

Swale Borough Council also joined Kent Police at the site following reports of planning conditions being breached.  

Cllr Roger Truelove, Leader of Swale Borough Council, told SFM News:  "This was a great multi-agency operation which we’re proud our officers from a range of teams helped to plan and carry out this morning. We’ve gathered valuable intelligence for ongoing investigations into alleged breaches of planning conditions. Working alongside colleagues from the different agencies has been a real success for all involved, and shows the importance of continuing this kind of collaboration."

Also present was the Environment Agency, who are investigating reports waste, including building rubble, was being illegally stored at the site. Sally Harvey, Area Director for the Environment Agency, told SFM News:  "The Environment Agency and our partners are fighting to put a stop to waste crime and we won’t hesitate to take action. Joint investigations will continue and if convicted as a result of illegal action, those responsible could face extensive fines and even prison sentences. To help avoid your waste ending up at an illegal waste site, ask for your waste collector’s waste carrier’s registration number and to see their waste transfer note; they must have them."

Chief Inspector Alan Rogers, Kent Police’s District Commander for Swale, told SFM News: "This activity is the culmination of close partnership work between us and our colleagues from several agencies. Working together we successfully applied for a search warrant from the court and executed it using our combined resources. Our partners play an important role in helping us protect the communities we serve, and we will continue to use our collective powers to target organised criminal activity and achieve the best possible results for victims of crime."

The new academic year hasn't got off to a great start for five Sittingbourne Schools in regards to the current COVID-19 Coronavurus pandemic.

Firstly, yesterday (Monday 7th September) a group of pupils and teachers were told to self-isolate after a Year 6 child tested positive for COVID-19 at St Peter's Catholic Primary School in West Ridge, after staff were informed of the case by PHE (Public Health England). Also on Monday two children at South Avenue Primary School's in Year 1 and 5 bubbles tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile staff at Highsted Grammar School had to write to parents today (Tuesday 8th September) to say they had been alerted by Public Health England (PHE) that "a number of our pupils have been in contact with a pupil that has tested positive for COVID-19".

Bapchild and Tonge CE Primary School in School Lane, Bapchild, sent letters to parents saying a child in Year 1 had come down with COVID-19. Head Christian Kelly wrote: "Having been informed late on Monday afternoon that a child in Year 1 had tested positive for COVID-19 the school has followed government guidelines, by contacting Public Health England and, acting on their advice, asked all pupils in the relevant year group to remain at home for the next 14 days."

Westlands Primary School, in Homewood Avenue, wrote to parents as well to say a case had been confirmed in their school with all Year 1 children being told to self-isolate.

Earlier today Public Health England (PHE) confirmed that the current coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the county satnds at 8658 in Kent and 1148 in Medway. This equates to a rate per 100,000 of population – 547.4 for Kent and 412.1 for Medway.

* The Public Health England figures are issued on a daily basis and are based on a national, regional and upper tier authority level. From 2 July, they include pillar one (tests carried out by NHS and PHE labs) and pillar two testing (tests in the wider community).