Local News

A cannabis factory has been found after officers from Kent Police executed a drugs warrant in Sittingbourne.

The plants were seized at around 8.00am earlier today (Wednesday 25th April) on Wihtred Road in Bapchild. More than 150 mature plants were found and all in the final stages of drying ready to be sold.

Police Sergeant Jason Hedges, from Swale's Community Policing Team, told SFM News: "we actively seek to disrupt any criminal activity within Kent and today's warrant is a prime example of this. Had we not found these plants they would have been ground down and sold as drugs within Kent and perhaps beyond. Anyone who suspects there is criminal activity taking place near them, or suspects a person to be committing offences should always report it so it can be investigated."

Officers have not yet made any arrests but are carrying out ongoing enquiries.

A teenage girl was forced to carry a mobile phone with an earpiece and microphone attached by a controlling man so he could eavesdrop on her conversations.

Rique Wall would also insist she speak to him for hours on end, dictated when she could leave her Sittingbourne home, and carried out a number of sexual offences against her.

Wall, 32, of Kimberley Road in Croydon, committed the offences between April 2014 and July 2016.

He was jailed for nine years at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday (12th April) after being found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of controlling or coercive behaviour.

The Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Steve Rees of Kent Police, told SFM News: "Wall targeted the young girl when she was exceptionally vulnerable and took advantage of her need for support. He then subjected her to a long period of emotional abuse and controlling behaviour, which included supplying her with mobile phones and equipment so he could control who she spoke to and stopping her from leaving her home and seeing friends. I'd like to pay tribute to the victim for her courage in overcoming her abuser and helping to ensure he serves a long period behind bars, without her support Wall may never have seen trial. We have specially trained officers on hand ready to aid and support any victims of sexual abuse and controlling behaviour. If you are a victim, please get in touch."

A man has been charged with attempted burglary following an incident at a home in Sittingbourne.

Christopher Swanson is alleged to have entered the home of a woman, aged in her 90s, in the Woodstock Road area in January this year.

Following enquiries by the Sittingbourne Criminal Investigation Department, the 51-year-old, of Peoney Crescent in Sittingbourne, has been charged with attempted burglary.

He is due to appear at Medway Magistrates' Court shortly (Monday 9th April).

A Maidstone man is almost £2,200 out of pocket after building waste was dumped in Iwade.

Josh Allen, 26, of Wallace Avenue, Parkwood in Maidstone, was prosecuted by Swale Borough Council after building and demolition waste, including wood, shelves and carpets, was found dumped on Raspberry Hill Lane, Iwade in November 2016.

Council officers traced the waste to a fast food restaurant. The owner of the restaurant confirmed he had paid a company called Josh Clearance £150 to remove the waste, and provided contact details and text messages as evidence.

Mr Allen was interviewed by council officers and confirmed arranging the transaction. He denied holding a drivers licence, and claimed he and a friend picked up the waste in the friend's truck, and he left the vehicle and didn't know what happened to the waste after that.

Following the interview, Mr Allen was asked to produce his authority to act as a broker for waste and the waste transfer notes for this particular transaction. No response was given, and a fixed penalty notice was issued for the offences.

Despite reminders, Mr Allen failed to respond, leaving the council with no choice but to go to court.

The case was heard on Monday (19th March) at Medway Magistrates Court, where Mr Allen was found guilty of two charges relating to the transport of waste.

He was fined £660 for each offence, and ordered to pay costs of £750, compensation of £60 and a victim surcharge of £66 within 28 days.

Cllr Nicholas Hampshire, deputy cabinet member for safer families and communities at the council, told SFM News: "Local people are sick of seeing other people's rubbish illegally dumped around the borough. We are determined to do all we can to track down those who fly-tip, and take the necessary legal action against them. If you pay someone to take away your rubbish, and it is fly-tipped, you could be prosecuted if you can't prove who took the waste away. In this case, the business owner rightly kept records which we were able to use to track down who took the waste away. I strongly urge people to check who is taking their waste, make sure they're licenced, and keep invoices and receipts so you can help us trace them if waste is dumped."

To check whether someone is licenced to carry waste you can visit the Environment Agency website or alternatively you can call 03708 506506.

For more information about fly-tipping, and what the council is doing to tackle it, visit www.swale.gov.uk/fly-tipping.