Local News

A rogue trader has been sent to prison after tricking a man into spending more than £100,000 on unnecessary repairs to his house.

The retired Teynham resident first encountered Abey Smith (pictured above) in April 2016 when he received a card offering home improvements through his letterbox, leading to him agreeing to pay £45 for his guttering to be cleaned. But over the course of the next year he repeatedly lied to the man about further work he said needed to be carried out, charging ever increasing prices whilst carrying out substandard work such as painting roof tiles to give the impression they had been replaced.

Smith, 50, of Rookery Gardens, Orpington, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ imprisonment when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday 15 June 2021, having previously been found guilty of committing fraud by false representation.

The court heard how Smith, who worked under the trading name of Roof Seal and Home Improvements, did not supply an estimate, invoice or any other paperwork when first employed by the victim to clean his guttering, nor at any other point in the months that followed. After carrying out each piece of work, he would find new areas of the property that he would claim were in need of repair to ensure his services were always required and falsely told the victim he would be able to claim it all back on his insurance.

The spending eventually stopped in February 2017 when the victim attempted to withdraw a large amount of money from his bank, who raised concerns for his welfare and advised him to contact the police. He did and an investigation into Smith’s activities commenced, during which time he continued to approach the victim for work. As part of the enquiries carried out by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, an expert witness was asked to review the repairs that had been carried out and the amounts that had been charged for it. He concluded that none of the work was necessary or justified and that if they were then it should not have cost the victim any more than a total of £3,300.

Smith was arrested at his home address on Wednesday 10th May 2017.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Roger Harris of Kent Police, told SFM News:"‘The offences committed by Abey Smith were deplorable. He took advantage of the trust that had been placed in him by a man who was entitled to enjoy his retirement after working hard for many years  – a concept that is completely alien to a dishonest criminal such as Smith. I am pleased that the court has seen fit to impose a custodial sentence in this case, as it sends a strong message to anyone else who thinks it is acceptable to lie and cheat in order to make a living."

DC Harris went on to say: "The actions of people like Abey Smith tarnish the good name of the vast majority of tradespeople who work with honesty and integrity, and carry out repairs to a high standard. This should also serve as a warning to other householders to be cautious of who you allow to carry out work on your property. Always ensure you are provided with a quote in advance, and always get a second or third opinion if someone calls at your address claiming there is something wrong with your home that they can fix."

For advice on dealing with doortep crime visit: https://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/consumer-protection/doorst....

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) are reminding the public to keep cooking areas clear following a kitchen fire in Milton Regis earlier today (Tuesday 15th June).

Two fire engines were sent to the scene just before 11:00am after receiving reports of a fire in the property on Newbridge Avenue and the building was heavily smoke-logged on arrival. Crews used hose reel jets to extinguish a fire in the kitchen, before clearing the property of smoke with a high pressure fan. 
 
One occupant and two pet dogs were rescued from the house, and the occupant was passed into the care of South East Coast Ambulance for smoke inhalation. The fire is believed to have started accidentally due to an item being left on the kitchen hob. 
 
Following the incident, firefighters are reminding the public to keep cooking areas clean and clear at all times. You should also ensure you have working smoke alarms on each level of your home to alert you in the event of a fire.

People are being asked how to decide which local buildings and green spaces make a positive contribution to the character of the borough.

Swale Borough Council is consulting on the criteria for a new local heritage list to promote awareness of the area’s local heritage assets and highlight their importance.

As part of its heritage strategy the council committed to creating a local heritage list and wants to work with the community to identify local assets that are valued as distinctive elements of the local identity. If a building, structure or green space is designated as being of local interest, it will be given the status of heritage asset. This makes its conservation a material consideration in any planning applications. To decide if an asset can be added to the local heritage list, the council needs to agree the criteria they must meet.

The criteria being proposed are:

• Historic interest – buildings/structures/spaces that are of special social, cultural or economic interest to Swale, and/or have proven affiliation with important local people or events, or other community associations.
• Architectural interest – buildings/structures/spaces that are of special architectural interest to Swale for reasons of their vernacular, aesthetic, type, form, style, plan technology, townscape, unity, or association with important architects.
• Age or rarity – buildings/structures/spaces that are: legibly pre-1700 in interest; of appreciable interest from between 1700–1840; of a high level of interest post-1840; of an outstanding interest and less than 30 years old.

Cllr Mike Baldock, Deputy Leader at Swale Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Planning told SFM News:- “We have such a rich and diverse range of local heritage assets, and we want to make sure we formally recognise their importance to the borough. They might not reach the nationally set benchmark for grade I or II listing, but they do have special interest or value to the local area. Any local heritage listing needs to be fairly and consistently applied across the borough, so we need as many people as possible to help us decide the criteria heritage assets will be judged against. Being on the list will not only be taken into account when considering planning applications but will also – for the first time – create an accurate record of our local heritage assets.”

The consultation will be asking people for their views on the criteria being suggested and is running until Friday 9th July.

To take part, and find out more, visit: www.swale.gov.uk/lhl-criteria

The Light Sittingbourne officially opened its doors today (Friday 28th May) after the Mayor of Swale, Cllr Paul Stephen, cut the ribbon at the formal opening event on Thursday evening. 

The Mayor was joined by The Lady Mayoress, Cllr Sarah Stephen and Cllr Monique Bonney in declaring the leisure venue open following a presentation where The Light Co-founder Keith Pullinger and CEO James Morris thanked the local council for their support.

Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for property and economy at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “I am delighted to have a really good quality scheme opening in the town. The last year hasn’t been easy for anyone, but I am confident people will think it was worth the wait and will enjoy it for years to come.”

The opening of The Light, as part of the Spirit of Sittingbourne development at Bourne Place, will be home to an eight-screen cinema, a nine-lane bowling alley, a retro arcade and diner with three resident vendors providing pizzas, burgers, hotdogs, sides and desserts.