Kent Tonight - Friday 9th August 2024
Catch up with all the latest news across your county with Bartholomew Hall.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kentonite live on KMTV, I'm Bartholomew Hall.
00:29Here are your top stories on Friday the 9th of August.
00:33Councillor charged.
00:34Stafford councillor Ricky Jones, due to appear in court, accused of encouraging violence.
00:43I don't feel safe.
00:44Herne Bay woman scared to leave home after alleged attack.
00:48And bears for bereavement.
00:50A Kent couple donate several teddies to Medway hospital after losing their baby boy.
00:58Good evening.
00:59A suspended Labour councillor has been charged on suspicion of encouraging violent disorder
01:03after he was allegedly filmed addressing a crowd in London.
01:06After being arrested yesterday and suspended from the Labour Party, he was due to appear
01:10at Westminster Magistrates Court this afternoon.
01:13Finn McDermott joins me here in the studio now, Finn, what can you tell us about today's
01:18updates?
01:19Well, Bartholomew, as we all know, protests have been happening up and down the country
01:23and like you say, Ricky Jones, the Dartford councillor who was filmed during a counter
01:28protest in Walthamstow on Wednesday evening, has now been charged.
01:33We originally reported yesterday that the councillor had been arrested and he has now
01:38been charged with a single count of encouraging violent disorder.
01:42The video in question appears to show him addressing a crowd and telling them that the
01:49far right demonstrators should have their throats cut.
01:52Now, because criminal proceedings have started, we can't go into any more detail on that specifically.
01:58What I can tell you is that he was arrested this Thursday according to the Crown Prosecution
02:03Service and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court this afternoon.
02:09In the wake of this, he has been suspended by the Labour Party and now is an independent
02:15councillor for Prince's Ward in Dartford.
02:18We reached out to Dartford Labour, where Jones has been a councillor since 2019.
02:23They declined to comment but they have released a statement on X.
02:27It says, we are aware of a video circulating on social media involving a member of Dartford
02:31Labour Group.
02:33The behaviour displayed in this video is completely unacceptable.
02:37The member has now been suspended from the Labour Party and they will be making no further comment.
02:42Of course, as you say, he is due to appear at court this afternoon.
02:47Westminster Magistrates Court, so with any of those updates, we will obviously bring
02:51them on on Kent Online and on the show on Monday.
02:55Separately, a different story, but also involving a Labour politician, Lauren Edwards.
03:01Of course, we reported yesterday about those tweets that resurfaced, but there has been
03:04an update today.
03:05Yes, so like you say, yesterday we reported that Lauren Edwards, the MP from Rochester
03:10and Strood, had several posts on X resurfaced from 2009.
03:16It uses foul language of Estonians in her flat and she used a derogatory term for those
03:21with learning disabilities to refer to them.
03:25Now, what we are getting in is that out of nowhere, the owner of X and the world's wealthiest
03:31man Elon Musk reposted Edwards' apology along with a screenshot of the original remarks
03:40from 2009.
03:42Currently, Musk's post has 12.8 million views and 15,000 retweets in just around eight hours.
03:50It appears her account has been deactivated.
03:55And Tris Osborne, the Labour MP for Chatham and Ellesford, came out in support of his
04:00Labour colleague.
04:01As I say, I accept the apology and the regret that she has shown for something that was
04:08done over a decade ago.
04:11Clearly, processes will happen in terms of how people feel about that and that people
04:16in a democracy can express their views.
04:18Thank you very much, Finn.
04:21A man who yelled homophobic abuse at police officers during a protest in Chatham this
04:25week has become the first person in Kent to be jailed following the recent spate of national
04:30disorder.
04:31Daniel Baldock was asked by police to disperse at Wednesday night's protest at the Innovation
04:35Centre on Maidstone Road, but resisted those requests before yelling homophobic abuse
04:40at police officers.
04:41Less than 48 hours after the original incident, Baldock was sentenced to a total of 14 weeks
04:47at Thanet Magistrates, which was increased from the original sentence of 12 weeks because
04:52of the nature of the crime.
04:57A Herne Bay woman says she no longer feels safe after she was allegedly assaulted earlier
05:02this week.
05:03Maya, who runs food banks throughout the town, says that she's been subject to a campaign
05:07of online harassment since last Thursday.
05:09Kent police say that they're following inquiries and reviewing CCTV.
05:13Oliver Leeder, The Sacks, has more.
05:15A pillar of the community fearing for her life.
05:20Maya Mangaldieva runs a number of food banks across Herne Bay, having moved to the UK from
05:27Turkmenistan 15 years ago.
05:30But since last Thursday, the foreign-born charity worker says she has found herself
05:35targeted by an online hate campaign, which she says culminated in a violent assault on
05:42the seafront.
05:43They said, you are dirty foreign immigrant, you're going to take the boat, and if you're
05:54not going to take it, we're going to come and finish you off.
06:00And it was a lot of dirty abuse, I can't...
06:08They were kicking me, they were pushing me.
06:13The attack has left her afraid to walk the streets, and scared for the safety of her
06:19family.
06:20Me, but they don't understand, I'm just a woman, I'm just a mother of kids.
06:25I just want them to leave me alone.
06:28Does it matter which country you're from?
06:33If you don't break any immigration rules, if I don't do anything wrong, does it matter?
06:39Kent police say they are investigating a report of a public audit incident in which two people
06:44received verbal hate-related abuse.
06:48The incident was reported to Kent police on Tuesday 6th August, and one of the victims
06:53also made officers aware of other incidents said to have occurred to her since Thursday,
06:59including harassment in person and online, damage to a window, and an assault during
07:03the evening of Monday 5th August.
07:06Neighbourhood officers have spoken to the victims to gather evidence, and enquiries
07:11into the reports are ongoing, including a review of any available CCTV and doorbell
07:16footage.
07:18Since the alleged attack, the community in Herne Bay and across Kent has banded together.
07:24Since the attack, the amount of support that's been shown to my area, second to none, you
07:30know, carts, flowers, people offering to help volunteer, it's been amazing.
07:37The town's really got behind her, you know, and it's really lovely to see.
07:42As investigations continue, posters on the seafront call for unity and love.
07:48But vandalism and graffiti speak to wider divisions.
07:52Oliver leads the SAC's reporting for KMTV.
07:57And Ollie joins me in the studio now.
07:59Obviously, Maya is someone who we've reported on many times, all of the things that she
08:03gives back to the community, and as we saw from your report there, she is loved by the
08:08community there, so clearly a very sad situation that she says that she's been going through
08:13at the moment.
08:14Can you just take us back to the beginning and explain how this all came about?
08:17So, from what she has told me, and partially corroborated by Kent Police, she says it
08:22started on Thursday evening, where the reports of four men giving verbal abuse to her and
08:29her partner, the reports were reported at, the abuse was reported as hate-related.
08:37And this was around 10 p.m. on Herne Bay seafront.
08:43That was Thursday the 1st of August.
08:46And she says it has carried on from there, abuse day in, day out, particularly on social
08:51media.
08:52She showed me pictures on her phone of all the abuse she received, and it was quite staggering.
08:58And obviously, this escalated to what she says was an assault on Monday night, where
09:04she was physically assaulted by three people, that's what she says, three men in balaclavas
09:10who pushed her down the stairs.
09:13Olly, thank you very much for those details.
09:14I'm sure we'll be following it as it continues, and as you say, the investigation continuing.
09:20Six people have been arrested after a car crash near the Gillingham campus of the University
09:24of Kent.
09:25The crash happened this morning near Purser Way, with officers being called to the scene
09:29just after midday.
09:31Men had already left the site by the time the police arrived, but they were apprehended
09:34after a search of the surrounding area.
09:37An investigation is currently underway, with only one officer still remaining at the scene
09:41to divert cars around the closure.
09:45Tambridge Wells is set to get its first ever branch of Primark.
09:49The news came earlier today, as it was confirmed that the multinational fashion and beauty
09:53retailer had purchased a former BHS building on Caverley Road.
09:57It comes after months of speculation, with many saying the introduction of the store
10:01in Tambridge Wells will be a benefit to the local economy, with hopes it will encourage
10:04other businesses to settle into the area.
10:07Though an opening date for the branch is yet to be confirmed, refurbishment is reportedly
10:11set to begin on the site shortly.
10:15Residents are divided in Thanet after the district council there instituted fines of
10:22up to £100 for swearing.
10:24The fines, which come under the council's public space protection order, will cover
10:28the towns Margate, Birchington, Ramsgate and Broadstairs, which have been called hotspots
10:32for abusive behaviour.
10:33Some are saying these fines are harsh and that there are questions over how enforceable
10:36they are, but some residents say they feel the fines are a good step to tackling antisocial
10:40behaviour.
10:41I think it's a really good idea, really, I really do.
10:45I mean, not all children are like that, but for the ones that are really disrespectful
10:50and that, I think it's a good idea, I really do.
10:54What would you say to the criticism that it might infringe on free speech?
11:00I don't think so.
11:01Now, OK, you've got free speech, but that doesn't include swearing, I don't think, really.
11:07Free speech is free speech, but not being abusive and making, you know, horrible behaviour
11:13and swearing.
11:14No, I don't agree with that at all.
11:17Well, whatever you think, I think that one is definitely going to create some sort of
11:20debate.
11:21Do let us know your thoughts on that.
11:22Follow us on socials at KMTVKent or on Twitter, Facebook, or X rather, Facebook, and of course
11:29to TikTok as well.
11:30So do share your thoughts and we'll share them here on the programme.
11:33Time for a short break now, but coming back we'll be talking about the upcoming football
11:36season as the Gilles push for promotion and Maheem Abedin will be taking us through the
11:40heartbreaking story of a couple who donated several teddy bears to Medway Maritime Hospital
11:45after losing their baby boy.
11:47We'll see you in a short few minutes.
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15:06Hello and welcome back to Kentonite live on KMTV, good to still have you with us.
15:17Now there's less than 24 hours to go until the start of the new football league season
15:21and with it Gillingham's campaign for promotion.
15:24New manager Mark Bonner will take to the dugout at Priestfield for his first competitive matches
15:29manager as the Gilles welcome Carlisle for their League Two opener.
15:33Bonner took over the top job after the sacking of Steven Clements at the end of last season
15:37after just six months in charge when the club finished 12th.
15:41Now with a clear target for a promotion the former Cambridge United manager says there's
15:45still lots of work to be done.
15:46It's a nice marker on day one to just see where do we stand, what's the work been like
15:51so far, what goes well, what doesn't, where do we need to polish up and work and I think
15:56the progress or the process of this team improving will be a few months long really, we're six
16:01weeks in and we're in an okay place but we've only got ourselves really to judge ourselves
16:07against at the moment.
16:08I think the majority of everybody, if not everybody in the club is excited and looking
16:13forward to the game.
16:15Next night a couple from Tenham who lost their baby after he was born prematurely have donated
16:20several teddy bears in his memory to Medway Maritime Hospital.
16:25Kimberley and Nicholas Miles say having a bear to hold on to helps with the loss of
16:31little Rupert and they hope this gesture will support others going through similar loss.
16:36Mahima Abedin has been to find out more.
16:39Many of us have memories of a favourite teddy from when we were younger but some here in
16:43Kent are clinging on a little tighter.
16:46Kimberley and her husband Nicholas lost their baby boy Rupert in March last year.
16:50He was born prematurely at 20 weeks.
16:53To help with her loss she was given a bear to hold on to and now she's passed the favour
16:57forward by donating several teddies, hats and blankets to Medway Maritime Hospital to
17:02support other families through bereavement.
17:05I actually got my own teddy when I was in hospital with Rupert.
17:09I lost him at 20 weeks' custodiation and it was just there to cuddle when I had to say
17:15goodbye to him.
17:16It was just nice to have something there and now I have him at home as well in his ashes
17:21in the teddy bear as well.
17:22They're just so important to loads of families and just having that teddy to cuddle when
17:27you're in hospital just means so much.
17:30It took me a long time to process everything.
17:33He was born in March and I didn't really understand anything until September time.
17:40Just don't judge yourself for how you feel, just feel what you need to feel and reach
17:44out and get support as well.
17:46Now this is one of the 15 teddies that Kimberley and her husband Nicholas kindly donated to
17:50the hospital here.
17:52Now these teddies are really special because if I turn it around there's a little zip at
17:55the back here which you can open up and it's for families to put any memories of the ashes
18:00of their babies that they may have lost prematurely.
18:03The bears were purchased from the charity Making Miracles and funded by friends and
18:06family donating to a Just Giving page that was set up by the couple in memory of Rupert.
18:12Now these cuddly bears will be helping several other families.
18:16Kimberley donating these teddy bears is so wonderful for all our families.
18:20They are such a comfort, it's something that they can hold and cuddle and actually have
18:25that tactile connection with their baby.
18:28All grief is individual, everything we do and everything we offer is done on an individual
18:34basis for the parents and for the families because we support the extended family as
18:39well.
18:40For families going through this or have been through this because they will continue to
18:44go through it for their entire lives, it's to make sure that you lean out and ask us,
18:48get all the support you can need from us, charities, friends and family.
18:53We've only got one chance to get it right and we need to do that right from the very
18:56beginning.
18:57As Kimberley holds on tight, she asks for anyone going through bereavement to reach
19:00out and seek support and to remember grieving can look different for everyone.
19:05Mahima Abedin for KMTV in Medway.
19:09Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories by logging on to kmtv.co.uk.
19:14There you'll find all of our reports, including this one where our reporter Abbey Hook went
19:18to try out rallycross at the Kent track where the motorsport was born.
19:22The Lydden Legend Festival, the birthplace of rallycross, celebrating the glory of classic
19:48rally machinery.
19:49It's a sport that started right here in Kent, right here at Lydden Hill Circuit back in
19:551967, making it the oldest rallycross circuit in the world.
19:59And Kent's very own Tristan Obindon is going to show me what it's like the other side of
20:04the safety barriers.
20:05And actually, I'm incredibly lucky because not many people get to ride in that car.
20:10I've got my crash helmet, which we love.
20:13What do you prefer on the tarmac or on the dirt?
20:17That's a good question.
20:20Tough question.
20:23The dirt's really good here now with the jump.
20:26Yeah.
20:27Before they changed the circuit, it was really fast.
20:30It was like tarmac all the way around really, which is cool, but it's more fun now.
20:47How was it?
20:50Oh, my goodness.
20:53It felt like we were so out of control, but so in control at the same time.
20:57There's nothing like that.
20:59That was insane.
21:01That felt like 200 miles an hour.
21:03It's like 105 top speed, but it's more about the drifting and the skill.
21:09You look quick out there.
21:10Yeah, get me one of those.
21:11That's wicked.
21:13I've been coming here since I was tiny.
21:15It's our home race.
21:16So it's always special.
21:17This weekend particularly, though, being a Legends Festival, it's going to be amazing.
21:21It's going to be absolutely fantastic.
21:23It'll probably be the biggest meeting of the year, we think, here.
21:26I've watched Rallycross since I can remember.
21:29So to now be in it at this level, it's my dream come true.
21:33And that dream is apparent across the paddock.
21:36This weekend, a range of cars will be out on track, headlined by Group B and four WD Monsters,
21:42with stars from the racing world, supercar features and a round of the Retro Rallycross Championship.
21:48The aim? To highlight the rich racing history Lydden Hill holds.
21:53There's no in-company cars.
21:54They're all here for display and fun, to put a show on.
21:58So this is all about a show.
22:00We base this on a bit of everything like Goodwood, Festival of Speed.
22:05So this is a smaller version of rallying and Rallycross.
22:09It's what we've done.
22:11We've got a great history from the 50s of having Rallycross started here.
22:16Rallying is obviously in partnership with us, so we've brought it all together to make this what you're seeing today.
22:22The short, sharp style of racing is different to that of more popular motorsports like Formula One and touring cars.
22:29Six laps, six cars every six or seven minutes, created back in 1967, born between Canterbury and Dover.
22:38Abbey Hook for KMTV at Lydden Hill Race Circuit.
22:43Time to take a look at the weather now.
22:45Let's see what the forecast has in store for the weekend.
22:53Tonight we'll be on the warm side, settling in on 17 degrees in Chatham.
23:00Tomorrow morning it starts fairly warm, Maidstone and Canterbury on 20 degrees.
23:06As we head into Saturday afternoon, that rising to the mid-20s, highs of 25 in the north of the county.
23:14And here's your outlook.
23:16Those temperatures getting even higher as we go into the start of next week.
23:19Clear skies as we start it.
23:20And finally this evening, collect 200 as you pass the oysters.
23:23Go to jail by the harbour or argue over who gets to be the boat.
23:28Very soon, fans of the family favourite board game Monopoly will be able to take their game to Whitstable
23:33as a brand new board themed around the coastal town is set to be released.
23:37And today, marking the announcement, Whitstable Harbour, at Whitstable Harbour,
23:41will be hosting the World Cup.
23:43And today, marking the announcement, Whitstable Harbour, at Whitstable Harbour,
23:50was none other than himself, Mr Monopoly.
23:53With more on this, I was joined by our reporter, Ronnie Glastal, earlier.
23:57Well, Mr Monopoly was in the county today to announce Whitstable and Herne Bay
24:00as the first and second place winners of the Monopoly Beauty Contest.
24:04The towns were up against four other areas in the county,
24:07Dover, Gillingham, Rochester and Sandwich.
24:11The newest edition will join the official Monopoly Maker's Winning Moves UK
24:16long list of worldly location additions, including Palm Beach, Dubai and the Hamptons.
24:23But, as avid Monopoly fans will know, this is not the first time that the county
24:27has caught the game's attention.
24:29Some previous editions have featured the University of Kent,
24:32Maidstone and Canterbury, just to name a few.
24:34While at the announcement, I spoke with Ella Gibbs.
24:38Ella is the Custom Games Executive at Winning Moves UK
24:42about how Whitstable and Herne Bay secured the honour.
24:45I think the classic Monopoly that everyone knows and loves is great,
24:48but when you get to see your hometown reflected on a board
24:50and all the local landmarks, it's even better.
24:52I think there's lots of local pride.
24:54It's just really cool to see your hometown on its own board.
24:56It was a difficult decision, but Whitstable and Herne Bay came out on top on the end.
24:59There's loads of lovely landmarks here, there's loads of local pride,
25:02and those are things we look for when we make these additions.
25:04So it was a no-brainer to come here and have them in our edition.
25:07The things we're looking for, as I said, it's local pride,
25:09sense of community, the landmarks that are here.
25:11We're at the Market Harbour, for example.
25:13You've got the Castle and Gardens.
25:15There's just so many things that could go on the board, so we're very excited.
25:17Well, Whitstable and Herne Bay, two iconic Kent locations by the seaside,
25:22but we don't know exactly what locations are going to appear on the board yet.
25:26Is that right?
25:27That is right. The final game board hasn't been made yet,
25:30but from this morning up until the 22nd of August,
25:34the public are invited to send in their suggestions.
25:37The final board is expected to have more than 30 local landmarks
25:41in addition to customised chance and community cards,
25:44and it's planned to hit retailers next spring.
25:47Well, looking forward to it. I'm sure we'll have a board,
25:49and I'm sure we'll have many arguments over who gets to be what
25:52and all the rest of it that comes with a game of Monopoly.
25:55But a lovely visit from Mr Monopoly himself in Whitstable today.
25:58It really was, and just before he left the event,
26:00I was actually able to pose a question to the man himself.
26:03Mr Monopoly, how do you feel about the new choice of board
26:06in Whitstable and Herne Bay?
26:10I think he's very excited.
26:18A man of many words, clearly.
26:20You've been watching Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
26:23There's plenty more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:26Don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest
26:29by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk,
26:32and also keeping us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook,
26:36following us on X and on TikTok.
26:39And of course, if you have a story you think we should be covering,
26:42then do get in touch.
26:43I'll be back with The Late Bulletin at 8 o'clock.
26:45See you then. Bye-bye.