Episodes
A woman who won tens of thousands on Premium Bonds, sold her home and spent a year abroad before falsely claiming thousands in benefits on her return to Kent has avoided prison. Between 2021 and 2024, she received more than £23,000 after making false statements to the Department for Work and Pensions.Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from the Ashford MP who’s weighed in on the troubles being faced by Reform UK at County Hall. Sojan Joseph has been telling us why KCC leader Linden Kemkaran should lose her job. Residents say it’s “total rubbish” their town is well served by pharmacies whi...
Residents are calling for action to solve traffic “chaos” caused by lorries struggling to make it up a slippery hill.They say they are kept up at night by screeching tyres and reversing alarms as stranded HGVs retreat back down for another run-up, and fear there will be a serious accident.Also in today’s podcast, Kent has been battered with strong winds and heavy rain as Storm Benjamin hits. It’s caused travel disruption with trees down and local flooding reported across the county. Reform UK councillors have lodged official complaints about the leadership style of the top table at Kent Cou...
An alleged abuser has been called a “coward” after he took his own life the day before he was due to stand trial.The 69-year-old was found at HMP Elmley earlier this month – the family of one of the accusers have shared their anger at not getting their day in court.Also in today’s podcast, you can hear audio from the moment a prolific thief was arrested by police as he hid under a bed.Billy Bird carried out a two-week spree of thefts across Faversham and Ashford, targeting multiple stores and stealing hundreds of pounds worth of alcohol and food.The under-pressure Reform UK leader of Kent C...
A court has heard a man “saw red” on the night his town centre bar was closing down and thrust a broken bottle into another man’s head.Steven Harwood-Brown threw one of his employees to the floor at Folkestone venue Picklebacks, before stabbing the victim, who had intervened to stop the fight.Also in today’s podcast, pressure is growing on the leader of Kent County Council after seven MPs demanded she quit and an eighth labelled her behaviour ‘unacceptable.’In a letter to Reform leader Nigel Farage, the Labour MPs said Cllr Linden Kemkaran was ‘clearly not up to the job. Two Kent women who ...
Reform UK has suspended four county councillors after the leaking of a video showing a private Zoom meeting of senior party members.The four have had the whip removed “pending investigation, following evidence they brought the party into disrepute”.Also in today’s podcast, fed-up residents say they’re paying hundreds of pounds in service fees for a children’s play park which, in reality, amounts to little more than a wooden log.Over the past four years, garden city residents have been paying property management agency, FirstPort, thousands of pounds to maintain play equipment that residents...
A hugely respected taxi company boss has died just a week before giving his daughter away at a dream wedding in southern Spain attended by more than 160 guests.Lance Ridden suddenly passed away after suffering a suspected heart attack in the luxury resort of Marbella.Also in today’s podcast, University of Kent bosses have reignited fury by pushing ahead with plans for a huge 2,000-home estate on nearby countryside – despite the land being ruled out of Canterbury’s housing blueprint.The acting vice-chancellor has written to campaigners confirming the institution is pressing on with the contr...
The sister of a much-loved young man who died from carbon monoxide poisoning wants to warn others about the “silent killer”.“Popular and kind” Elliot Bourne fell asleep on a sofa in front of a coal fire in Hythe and was found unresponsive the next day.Also in today’s podcast, a jury has heard a violent axe and cricket bat attack on two men as they drove along the A2 had its background in human trafficking.Those involved in what is alleged to have been a bid to kill the driver of a Seat Leon and seriously injure one of his passengers had all come to the UK from Afghanistan.The MP for Dartfo...
A former Dartford council worker who swindled her employer out of almost half a million pounds while in charge of housing benefit payments has been spared jail.A court's been told how the 44-year-old set up fake claims in the names of people she knew, and fraudulently received £493,000 over a nine-year period.Also in today's podcast, a man who stabbed a stranger in Chatham while on day release from a psychiatric hospital has been convicted of attempted murder.Ray Chirisa, 34, had been reported missing from the Trevor Gibbens Unit in Maidstone just 30 minutes before the attack happened on Th...
The owner of a dog that seriously injured a young girl in Rainham has been ordered to pay compensation to the child.A cockapoo called Reggie bit the three-year-old's arm on Mierscourt Road in June.Also in today's podcast, residents of a street in Snodland are calling on the council to officially change the address to resolve mail delivery problems.People living in Rayfield Court say their road is independent from neighbouring Willowside, but when their postcode is put into most search engines it defaults to an address in Willowside. A Kent expert has told today's episode how the next few we...
A Gravesend tenant says he's living in constant fear of his council home falling down around him due to ongoing subsidence issues.Sunder Khutan moved in to the mid-terrace property off Windmill Street in 2019 - only a few months later he notices cracks in the walls and ceilings.Also on today's podcast, a person's died after being hit by a train in Medway.Police were called to Otterham Quay Lane in Rainham this morning forcing the road to be closed near to Leigh Academy secondary school. Hear from our reporter who was at the scene earlier.It's thought it'll cost hundreds of pounds to carry o...
A grieving mum who lost her four-year-old son in a bus tragedy is hoping to raise money to buy her own home so she can bury him in the garden.Little Zaahir Jan Feizi was laid to rest after being knocked down outside the QEQM Hospital in Margate in August, but the cemetery is a long journey from his mum's home.Also in today's podcast, a woman who was sofa surfing with her young daughter and two bin bags of clothes has revealed how she turned her life around.Jodie had fled a relationship and suffered episodes of psychosis after smoking cannabis. She went clean four years ago after seeking hel...
The owner of an ice cream van says he has received death threats after being falsely linked to suspicious behaviour in Tonbridge.A young girl reported seeing three men running in her direction and was possibly grabbed on the arm while walking through the cemetery last month.Kent Police have been forced to confirm the Drifters Whippy van, which was parked nearby, is not linked in any way - despite rumours online.Also in today's podcast, one person's been arrested and the bomb disposal team called in after "suspicious items" were found in a flat in Margate.Officers were called to Rosedale Roa...
A woman who feared she would die at the hands of her controlling husband has told of her horror after he avoided prison despite years of abuse that left her with life-changing injuries.She says what began as “the most incredible love” turned into a suffocating and terrifying relationship in which she was constantly monitored, isolated and attacked inside her own home. Also in today’s podcast, you can hear the moment a man was arrested after a drone was allegedly used to deliver drugs to inmates at a prison in Maidstone. Police called after the device had been found within the grounds alongs...
Podcast: A woman who stabbed a stranger in a street in Dover has been detained in a psychiatric unit
A Dover woman has been detained in a psychiatric unit after randomly attacking a stranger in the street with a kitchen knife.The victim was taken to a London hospital for treatment after she was stabbed in the back while walking down Biggin Street in January.The KentOnline Podcast has been told 90% of retailers in Tunbridge Wells have complied with new rules around single use vapes since they were introduced in June.That's 10% higher than in other parts of the county.The town was the first in Kent to take part in a 'Local Vape Action' scheme where experts work with shops.A man who drove fro...
An Asda employee has faced court after abusing a company taxi account to fund more than £6,000 worth of personal journeys – including a 115-mile round trip to visit his mum in London.He repeatedly booked cabs on the supermarket’s tab despite having no right to use the system, exploiting it for weeks before being caught.Also in today’ podcast, bosses in Medway say red routes will be repaired - after pictures revealed the painted lines in one town have already worn away.The double lines were controversially introduced on busy routes - including the A2 in Rainham - in May last year in a bid to...
Campaigners are gathering on the Kent coast this weekend to protest against sewage leaks and rising water bills.SOS Whitstable says Labour aren't doing enough to tackle the issue, more than a year after winning the general election.Also in today's podcast, police in Kent have told us they're providing reassurance to the Jewish community in the county following a terrorist attack in Manchester.Two people died when a man drove into crowds outside a synagogue before attacking people with a knife. Hear how MPs in Kent have reacted to what happened.It's been confirmed today Sarah Mullally is the...
An inquest has heard a mum stabbed her daughter in the back with a 12-inch kitchen knife while she was cooking a family meal - before fatally turning the blade on herself.She’d told a psychiatric nurse of her fear of being sectioned just hours before the tragedy unfolded in Ashford in June. Also in today’s podcast, a family has accused planning officers of acting “cruelly” following the “flawed” refusal of an annex for their severely disabled son.The family say the outbuilding extension in Hoo could provide a suitable home for their son, who has autism and complex needs, to live and be care...
An investigation by KentOnline has uncovered the scale of bed blocking in Kent's hospitals with some patients waiting months to be discharged.Over the past year, almost 40,000 people in two parts of the county were kept in wards after their treatment had finished - costing the NHS around £50 million.Hear from the daughter of a woman who ended up in hospital for a month longer than she needed to be.Also in today's podcast, the government is being urged to invest more into GP surgeries as a survey in Kent shows the workforce is in crisis.Doctors and practice managers across the county were as...
People living in part of Dartford say lives are being put at risk by mounds of hoarded waste in a garden.Pictures at KentOnline show the state of the land outside the bungalow on Joyce Green Walk in the town, and a fire that recently broke out there is being treated as suspected arson. Hear from reporter Alex Langridge who has been covering the story.Also in today's podcast, police have cordoned off part of Rochester High Street following reports of a suspicious item.The bomb squad was called to a residential property near Corporation Street yesterday evening.Residents in Dover say they are...
A hearing's been told how a young man died in a tragic accident on a railway line in Kent as he attempted to leave the UK.An inquest was told the 25-year-old Albanian national was trying to cross the tracks near the Motis Lorry Park last September.Also in today's podcast, There's been a mixed reaction to new bus fares that've come into force in parts of Kent.Stagecoach have increased their prices by 10p for short or medium-length journeys. We've been hearing what people in Maidstone think while Stagecoach have told us why the price hike is necessary.Plans for 100 new homes and sports facili...
A "greedy and manipulative" gambler who fleeced family, friends and teammates out of life-changing sums of money as he blew more than £4 million on betting sites has been sent to prison. Kenny Sanders convinced some of those closest to him to part with their savings, inheritances and pension pots, assuring them he was investing their cash in a thriving IT company.Also in today’s podcast, the family of a British couple detained in Iran have said they have “no clear information” on their upcoming court appearance, claiming UK officials are also “in the dark”.Lindsay and Craig Foreman were tak...
The need for yet more restrictions on a “rollercoaster” stretch of the New Thanet Way has been branded an “absolute disgrace” – with highways bosses unable to say how long a reduced 50mph speed limit will stay in place.Kent County Council says “urgent” action was needed because dangerous bumps in the dual-carriageway between Faversham and Herne Bay are putting drivers at risk.Also in today’s podcast, a pensioner who drove his car into another man at a gated residential park, which was caught on camera, had previously attacked another resident . The 70-year-old deliberately drove into the ma...
Four men are being questioned by police after another man is said to have been stabbed. Police were called to reports of a disturbance inside a property in Halfway Road on Sheppey last night – you can hear from one of our reports who’s been at the scene. Also in today’s podcast, former Gillingham FC chairman Paul Scally is being sued in the High Court over the £7 million takeover of the club by its American owners.Brad Galinson and the club are taking legal action, alleging a whole host of financial wrongdoing concerning the League 2 side’s affairs.A motorist says he’ll think twice about ev...
A woman spared jail for lacing a bottle of coke with laxatives which left a man with severe diarrhoea boasted on Facebook she was free within hours of leaving court.The 38-year-old poured more than half a bottle of lactulose into the fizzy drink which was then guzzled by the unsuspecting victim.Also in today’s podcast, a rugby referee rushed to hospital after almost collapsing during a match is warning others not to ignore their body if they are not feeling right.He was officiating a tie between Duke of York School in Dover and King’s Rochester in Medway when he began struggling just minut...
An off-grid grandad says he won’t be forced out of his creekside home despite being “more or less” fenced in.Bob Thwaites has lived off the bank of the Swanscombe Peninsula without any problems since 1991 but the new landowner have now put up a 6ft to keep people out. Also in today’s podcast, there are fears the government's decision to approve a second runway at Gatwick Airport could lead to more noise pollution for Kent residents.£2.2 billion of private money is going to be spend on the expansion - which will allow for another 100-thousand flights a year.An MP is calling for a crackdown o...
Kent County Council have backtracked on a pledge to treat climate change as an emergency.An official declaration was made in 2019 - but a Reform UK councillor has now led a motion to scrap the statement, describing the science behind global warming as "nonsense".Despite a protest outside County Hall in Maidstone, the motion was voted through by 50 votes to 21 with three abstentions.Also in today's podcast, a Kent headteacher says children are being traumatised by content they're seeing online.Damian McBeath banned children from having phones in class last year and is now backing a national ...
Pictures have emerged of a cafe in the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford that's been turned into a makeshift ward.Health campaigners have described it as humiliating, with the main seating area blocked off by screens and patients wheeled in on beds. It's as the hospital continues to struggled with demand.Also in today's podcast, we're being encouraged to sleep rough for a night to experience what it's like for the 194 people in Kent who're currently on the streets.Canterbury based charity Porchlight are trying to raise awareness as winter and the bad weather approaches.Hear from a Kent cou...
Parents have hit out at a secondary school in Medway after their daughters were singled out over the length of their skirts.Some pupils at Hundred of Hoo Academy have been told their hemlines fall above the knee, and have been removed from class.Hear from one mum who has now pulled her daughter out of the school.Also in today's podcast, protests have taken place at the start of Donald Trump's second State visit to the UK.Earlier, giant projections showing the US president alongside disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein were beamed onto Windsor Castle.We've been speaking to an international re...
A Kent mum at the centre of an online storm says she “absolutely” regrets posting a controversial TikTok video about the murder of US activist Charlie Kirk – but insists her words have been “totally misconstrued”.She’s been bombarded with vile threats and even had her business kicked out of the county’s largest indoor market after she uploaded a clip in the wake of the 31-year-old’s death.Also in today's podcast, a mum whose partner died in a building site accident has told how her life has “completely changed” since the tragedy - and how she stays strong for their children.David Archer suf...
Twelve weeks worth of lane closures are starting today on the main road linking Medway and Maidstone.It's so survey work can take place on the A229 Blue Bell Hill before a £250 million improvement scheme goes ahead.There'll be a temporary speed limit of 40 miles per hour while work is being carried out.Also in today's podcast, residents of a housing estate on Sheppey say they've been left with thousands of pounds worth of debt after getting rid of their property management firm.FirstPort was removed by people living on the Queenborough Phase One development earlier this year.The MP for Cant...