Maidstone Crown Court Sentencing Results

On August 21, 2016, Harvey Spencer Stephens confronted two cyclists, Mark Richardson and Alex Manley, on Toys Hill near Westerham, Kent, after a road rage incident. He honked his horn aggressively, overtook them, and punched Mr Richardson, knocking him unconscious. He then punched Mr Manley multiple times, causing dental injuries and damaging his helmet. The attack was described as disproportionate and left victims with physical injuries including swelling, a broken tooth root, and ongoing effects.

Reginald Esqulant, 74, entered a Santander bank branch on High Street in Sevenoaks with a package containing a fake bomb made from a paving slab. He left instructions demanding cash and threatening to detonate the device if his demands were not met, which included not informing the police and keeping customers in place. This sparked a major police operation, including a lockdown of the town centre and a controlled explosion by bomb disposal experts. Esqulant was arrested at his home in West Kingsdown the following day after evidence, such as a VW Golf he used, plastic gloves, matching handwriting, and a broken paving slab, linked him to the crime. The incident caused anxiety and loss of trade for local businesses.

Richard Donovan, while drunk, followed 59-year-old homeless man Philip Fox to his tent on wasteland in Canterbury, gave him a beer, talked to him, and then shot him dead with a sawn-off shotgun on or around August 4, 2015, after becoming paranoid. He fled the scene, threatened a woman who he told about the crime, and later sold the gun. The victim's remains were undiscovered for 10 months.

Sheneqwa Delpratt drove the car used in the kidnapping of a woman in Chatham, Kent, on the night of the incident. She transported the victim over 30 miles to south London, where the woman was beaten with a metal bat, knuckleduster, and dog chain. Delpratt was involved throughout, including after the victim was assaulted and dumped near Nunhead railway station, leaving her for dead.

George Emmett arranged to meet the victim in Chatham, Kent, on the night of the incident to discuss money owed to her. Instead, he assisted in forcing her into a car with accomplices. During the journey, he punched her in the face and beat her with her dog's lead before fleeing. The group demanded £2,000 from her, threatening her family's lives, and left her severely injured near Nunhead railway station after the attack.

Kaswayne Williams, along with accomplices, kidnapped a woman in Chatham, Kent, on the night of the incident. They forced her into a car, bound her hands with duct tape, stuffed a sock in her mouth, and drove her over 30 miles to south London. There, he dragged her out by her hair, beat her with a metal baseball bat, punched her with a knuckleduster, and threatened her with an imitation firearm. He demanded £2,000, threatening her family's lives, before dumping her near Nunhead railway station, leaving her for dead. The victim sustained serious injuries and was found by a passer-by.

Daniel Kelly used a drone to smuggle contraband, including the psychoactive drug Spice and other items, into HMP Elmley, HMP Swaleside in Kent, and HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire during April. He was caught after a police patrol observed suspicious activity involving a car near HMP Swaleside on April 25, where a man was seen running and entering the vehicle. The car was later traced to a holiday park, leading to Kelly's arrest. The drone, which had been spray-painted black and had its lights taped over, was found in the car's boot. Analysis showed it had conducted four flights to the prisons over five days.

Paul Godden, 35, attempted to rob a Martin McColl shop in Luton High Street, Chatham, on August 11 by wearing a Batman mask, placing a knife and a bag on the counter, and demanding cash and cigarettes, but was refused and fled empty-handed. Later that day, he robbed a Co-Op in Wayfield Road, Chatham, of £2,540 cash and 60 packets of cigarettes while hiding his face with a scarf. He was arrested three days later in Gillingham.