Local News

A man, arrested in connection with an alleged stabbing in Sheerness High Street, has been released on bail while police enquiries continue.

Kent Police were called at 3.32am yesterday (Thursday 18th August) morning to a report of an assault between Maple Street and Halfway Road on the Isle Of Sheppey.

Officers attended along with ambulance staff and a man in his 20's was taken to King's College Hospital in South East London, where he remains in a serious but stable condition, having suffered an injury consistent with a stab wound.

A section of the High Street was closed while officers carried out enquiries into the incident but was re-opened at 3.20pm.

The 20-year-old arrested man from Sheerness has been released on bail until Sunday 11th September.

Officers from the Major Crime Unit would now like to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything at the time of the alleged assault, or an earlier disturbance involving four men at the exit of Sheerness Holiday Park on Halfway Road.

Anyone with any information is advised to call the appeal line on 01795 419119 quoting reference 18-0118 or they can call Kent Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Kent Police are investigating an incident in which a teenage girl was found lying unconscious on the side of the road and are appealing for any information.

The 14-year-old was discovered by members of the public near the Western Link roundabout in Faversham, at about 12.40am on Tuesday 19th July.

She was not seriously injured but has no memory of how she came to be unconscious.

It has been reported that a sexual offence may have been committed against her.

Officers have carried out a significant number of enquiries into the incident, including a review of all available CCTV footage and any forensic opportunities.

They would now like to hear from anyone who may have seen the victim walking anywhere between Sittingbourne or Faversham between 9pm on Monday 18th July and 12.40am the following morning.

She is described as being white with long brown hair, and was wearing a black T-shirt and black and white checked trousers.

Witnesses are urged to call the appeal line on 01795 419119 quoting reference XY/027884/16.

Alternatively they can call Kent Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Five people from two families have been jailed after pleading guilty to producing and supplying drugs.

Brothers Rhys and Kyle Seager and their father, Antony Seager, all of Peregrine Drive in Sittingbourne, were all jailed earlier this month at Maidstone Crown Court Following an investigation by Kent Police's Operation Jupiter team.

Rhys Seager, aged 22, was jailed for 40 months after being charged for conspiracy to supply and produce cannabis, possession of MDMA and possession with intent to supply cocaine. He was also sentenced on the same day for an aggravated burglary and received eight years and four months in jail.

Kyle Seager, aged 20, will serve 10 months at a young offender's institution after being charged with conspiracy to supply and produce cannabis and possession of MDMA.

Antony Seager, aged 49, was jailed for 16 months after being charged with conspiracy to supply and produce cannabis.

Susanna Rye, aged 41, of Mountview in Borden, was jailed for 16 months after being charged with conspiracy to produce and supply cannabis as well as possession of cocaine and amphetamine.

Her son, Jason Taylor, aged 21 and also of Mountview, Borden, was jailed for eight months having denied the charge of conspiracy to supply cannabis.

The charges were bought following two drugs warrants which were executed at both addresses on Tuesday 12th May 2015. At the address in Mountview, Borden, officers found £8,310 worth of cannabis, £126 worth of cocaine as well as 18 cannabis plants with a potential income of between £25,920 and £34,560 per year.

Around £163 of MDMA, £700 of cocaine and £192 of cannabis was found at the property in Peregrine Drive, Sittingbourne. Officers also found two black bags containing cannabis leaves as well as 20 cannabis plants and it was estimated that between £28,800 and £38,400 could be made from the cannabis crop.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Iain Joyce, told SFM News: "This group was running an organised operation of producing and supplying drugs and I'm pleased we have been able to bring them to justice and to stop them from selling drugs in and around Kent. Jason Taylor's conspiracy conviction shows that offenders can be targeted and convicted of drug offences even though they may not be found in possession of controlled drugs and that such people can and do, form lines of enquiry for the police."

Operation Jupiter is part of a local strategy designed to tackle emerging criminal gangs, whose members often travel into the county from other areas. The strategy includes taking robust action to deter criminals in areas including Medway, Swale, Gravesham and Dartford, often in connection with the sale and distribution of drugs.

An armed gang who viciously attacked two men during a burglary in Sittingbourne have been jailed for a total of more than 30 years.

One of the victims was threatened with a knife, beaten with a baseball bat and hit by a pellet from a BB gun during the incident at a house in Cortland Close on Tuesday 24th November 2015.

Two of the offenders jumped out of an upstairs window upon police arrival but were arrested shortly afterwards, as were their two accomplices.

Richard Palmer, Rhys Seager, Toby Earnshaw-Glazier and Robert Peters all admitted their involvement and were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (Monday 4th July).

Palmer, 28, of North Street, Maidstone, was sentenced to eight years and seven months in prison. Seager, 22, of Peregrine Drive, Sittingbourne, was sentenced to eight years and four months having also been convicted for unrelated drug offences. Earnshaw-Glazier, 22, of Bridge Road, Sheerness, was sentenced to seven years and four months. Peters, 20, of no fixed address, was sentenced to six years and eight months.

All four had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, two counts of assault, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a bladed article and possession of an offensive weapon.

The court heard how on the night in question the four men broke into the victims' home by smashing a glass panel on the front door. One of the offenders entered the bedroom of one of the victims and threatened him with a knife while demanding to know where his money was kept. He then punched him in the face before a second man started hitting the victim with a baseball bat. A third man then entered the room and fired a BB pellet at the victim's arm.

Meanwhile, the second victim was also confronted in his room by the men armed with the baseball bat and BB gun, and suffered an injury to his face during the struggle. While in his room the offenders heard a police officer enter the house downstairs and jumped out of a window onto a garage roof below.

The officer went into the first victim's room and arrested Seager as he was attempting to open a window. A knife was also found hidden in his pocket. The fourth member of the group was then seen to run down the stairs and out through the front door.

A search of the local area resulted in the discovery of Earnshaw-Glazier hiding in an outbuilding in the Cortland Mews area. He claimed to have fallen into a fish pond and was complaining of pain to his left knee and ankle, leading officers to believe he was one of the men who jumped from the upstairs window.

Palmer was located by sniffer dogs in the Tannery Court area of Kings Mill Close, lying on the floor in a small space between a parked car and a wall. He had covered himself with a piece of wood and claimed to be sleeping rough.

Officers noticed Palmer appeared to be in pain and he was later found to have suffered a foot injury consistent with falling from a height.

The fourth offender Peters was spotted acting suspiciously at Kemsley railway station and was found to have a pair of latex gloves in his pocket. He was also unable to provide a reasonable explanation for being there and was arrested.

Detective Constable Craig Hewitt told SFM News: "This was an extremely violent burglary that could have resulted in more serious injuries for both victims had police not arrived when they did. The four men involved gave no consideration for their welfare and seemingly little thought for the impact such a terrible crime would have on other people living nearby. I would like to pay tribute to the officers who attended on the night in question, who displayed tremendous initiative to hunt down those responsible in such a short period of time and ensure they were brought to justice. They are clearly a danger to the public and will spend a considerable length of time behind bars as a result."