Kent Police

A man from Sittingbourne, who stalked a woman and threatened to throw acid in her face, has been jailed.

Duncan Friend harassed and intimidated his victim over several weeks and also made threats with a knife, to people she knew.

Friend became known to the woman in December 2022 and in the weeks that followed bought her gifts including a bag, shoes, and scarf. By the end of January 2023, the victim became concerned by constant messages she was receiving on her phone from Friend, which included demands she needed to return the gifts to him.

A man has been given a 26-year jail term after a violent assault on a lone woman in Sittingbourne.

In the early hours of Sunday 11th December 2022, the victim was walking near Canterbury Road when she was approached by a man she knew, Matthew Breaker.

He suddenly launched a violent attack, hitting her repeatedly with a hammer before pinning her to the floor and thrusting a blade towards her face and torso.

Kent Police have confirmed that 40 drivers have received fines as part of their ongoing work to crack down on motorists committing offences in Swale.

On Saturday 12 August officers from Kent Police’s Special Constabulary spent time in Mill Way, Sittingbourne, where they stopped drivers. During the operation 47 offences were identified and robustly dealt with.

Detectives have issued a CCTV image as part of an ongoing investigation into a knife assault in Milton Regis.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the assault, which happened in North Street on Thursday 20th July. The incident took place at around 12.10pm, when two people were seen chasing a man in the direction of the High Street. It is alleged one of them tackled the victim to the floor and stabbed him in a leg with a large knife. The suspects then fled the scene.

A prolific shoplifter, who repeatedly targeted supermarkets across Swale and stole items totalling around £1,000, has been jailed.

Mark Hewitt was responsible for a catalogue of offences since May 2023, stealing meat and alcohol from shops including Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Marks and Spencer.

A new CCTV image has been released by detectives investigating two burglaries in Teynham.

On Monday 3rd July a man called at an address in Station Road and told the resident he was there to check the smoke alarms. He was allowed into the address and, after he left, the occupant found a quantity of cash was missing.

On the same day, a pensioner also living in Station Road, was visited by a man who said he had been sent to check the electrics at the premises. Once the man had left the victim found their purse had been stolen.

Detectives investigating two reported burglaries in Teynham have released a CCTV image. On Monday 3rd July, a man called at an address in Station Road and advised the resident he was there to check the smoke alarms. He was allowed into the address and, after he left, the occupant found a quantity of cash was missing.

On the same day, a pensioner also living in Station Road, was visited by a man who said he had been sent to check the electrics at the premises. Once the man had left the victim found their purse had been stolen.

Kent Police officers are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault in Milton Regis last week.

At around 12.15pm on Thursday (20th July) Kent Police were called to a report of an assault in North Street. Officers attended and a man was taken to hospital with an injury consistent with a stab wound. He has since been discharged.

Two local men in their 20’s have since been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent. They remain in custody while enquiries are ongoing.

CCTV images have been released by Swale officers after a man was assaulted in Sittingbourne High Street.

The victim was with a woman when two people are reported to have made derogatory remarks about her.

He spoke to the suspects before they assaulted him by punching him in the face multiple times. The 71-year-old man then fell to the floor and the offenders fled the scene.

New CCTV images have been released by local officers investigating an assault in Sittingbourne.

The incident happened at around 1.25am on Saturday 24th June inside Lang’s Bar and Cocktail Lounge in St Michael’s Road.

While inside the bar, the victim was reported to have been assaulted after a man, not known to him, hit him over the head with a glass.

The offender then continued to assault the victim by pushing him to the floor where he was punched and kicked. The incident resulted in the victim sustaining deep lacerations to his face.