Latest news with #MaidstoneCrownCourt
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Prisoner yelled ‘who wants it?' before hurling boiling water at guard
A violent prisoner cried 'who wants it?' before throwing a kettle of boiling water at a guard, a court has heard. Dominic Hedges, 43, whose criminal record dates back almost 30 years, confronted the officer at his cell in Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The prisoner's door was unlocked by mistake on May 18 last year and the guard, Omos Emaniru, had returned to secure it again before finding the career criminal holding his recently boiled kettle in his hands with the lid open. CCTV and the guard's body-worn cameras showed that Hedges then threw scalding water across Mr Emaniru's head and jacket. The criminal later pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and was 'disgusted' by his actions, Maidstone Crown Court was told at his sentencing hearing. Hedges, who has 24 convictions for 58 offences, was jailed for two years. The officer had only been working at the prison for a year when he was attacked, the court heard. The previous day, Hedges was persistently ringing his cell bell and told Mr Emaniru there 'would be consequences' if he was not let out of his cell. The guard told him he would mark his record with a negative entry. On the day of the assault, prison bosses decided to keep Hedges's door locked because he was banging and making further threats. But the court was told Mr Emaniru forgot and, on being reminded of his mistake by a colleague, went back to rectify it. As he reached the cell door Hedges shouted 'who wants it?' and threw the water at him, resulting in scabbing to the head as well as migraines and anxiety. Prosecutor Nathan Fitzpatrick said the victim returned to work after two days, but was physically shaking while unlocking cell doors and constantly looking over his shoulder. Mr Emaniru wrote in a statement that was read to the court: 'I was worried this would happen again. 'I am now more vigilant and if I see a kettle it makes me think about what happened to me.' 'Paranoid and hearing voices' At the time of the attack, Hedges was one month into a 16-month jail term handed to him for three other assaults committed on emergency workers. His lawyer Simone Newton argued the latest attack was unplanned and had occurred 'in the heat of the moment' after a restless night and substance abuse. She said: 'He had difficulties with drugs and had spent the night not being able to sleep properly. He was paranoid and hearing voices. 'He accepts he took some Spice and this made things worse for his mental health. 'Mr Hedges said he understands the prison officer doesn't deserve to come to work and be reacted to in that way while just trying to do his job. He is disgusted by his actions that day and says he did see the officer some months down the line and apologised.' Tougher restrictions on kettles Recorder Daniel Stevenson, as he jailed Hedges, highlighted the public's demands that inmates not be allowed kettles. There have already been demands for tougher restrictions on kettles for dangerous offenders after the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly threw boiling water over an officer at HMP Belmarsh on May 8. Another prison officer was scalded with boiling water from a kettle, and a different guard was left with a broken jaw after violent attacks at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire later in May. Just weeks before, Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, threw hot cooking oil over three officers. He then stabbed them with two knives made out of baking trays in the kitchen of Frankland jail's separation unit. The Prison Officers' Association has called for terrorists and violent prisoners who assault officers to be kept in US-style 'supermax units' where they are only allowed out of cells once a day while handcuffed and supervised by three officers. Some 10,605 assaults on staff in male and female jails were recorded in 2024, a record high up from 9,204 in 2023 and nearly three times the 3,640 in 2014. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a rapid review into whether prison officers should be issued with stab vests and trained to use Tasers. The court heard that Hedges, who has been recalled to prison on several occasions, currently has no 'anticipated' release date.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Thief jailed for stealing £23k of shoes at Kent service station
A man has been jailed after admitting stealing shoes worth nearly £23,000 from a lorry near Tremarco, of St Agnes Drive in Canvey Island, Essex, previously pleaded guilty to theft, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a Police charged the 35-year-old in April after a lorry was stopped in London following a report of the theft at a service station on the M2 in received a 21-month prison sentence and six points on his driving licence at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday. According to Kent Police, a security guard reported suspicious activity near parked vehicles at the service station in the early hours of 11 April.A lorry was targeted while the driver was asleep in the cab, the force later seized boxes of shoes after a different lorry was stopped in Stratford.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Fatal M2 Faversham crash leads to man being jailed for 12 years
A man who admitted causing death by dangerous driving after speeding at more than 120mph (193km/h) before a crash has been jailed for more than 12 years, police Amaglo, 43, was driving a Mercedes C-Class on the M2 near Faversham in Kent when the crash happened on the morning of 27 November struck the back of another vehicle, instantly killing a woman in her 50s who was also driving, police was sentenced to 12 years and three months' imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday. Both the vehicles were travelling between junctions six and five on the London-bound carriageway when the crash, which was captured on Amaglo's dashcam, happened. After initially pleading not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, he changed his was banned from driving for 18 years and two months and a further charge of causing death by careless driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs was ordered to remain on Con Sara Capozzi said: "Amaglo's driving that morning was truly appalling and resulted in the most tragic of consequences."I hope that the custodial sentence he has received offers opportunity for him to reflect on his thoughtless and grossly irresponsible actions, which led to the loss of a much-loved and cherished woman's life."
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man killed after 'long-standing grudge'
A man was murdered after a chance encounter with a person he had a "long-standing grudge" with, a jury has been told. Wayne Woodgate, 54, was last seen entering a van in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on 17 October 2024. His body was found six days later at a rural location in Peasmarsh, East Sussex. Stephen Castle, 59, from Matfield, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution told Maidstone Crown Court that Mr Castle took Mr Woodgate in a van to his home address in Kippings Cross, "and once there and when the two of them were alone, Stephen Castle strangled Mr Woodgate and he killed him". Jurors were shown CCTV of two men meeting in Tunbridge Wells on the day of Mr Woodgate's disappearance. The court heard how a bystander called 999 as was concerned about seeing Mr Castle swearing at Mr Woodgate and that it did not look like the victim had much choice but to get in the vehicle. Prosecutors said Mr Woodgate's son, Joseph, had driven to Tunbridge Wells to collect his dad and that it looked like his father was "scared" while speaking to Mr Castle. Joseph Woodgate was watching the exchange through his rear-view mirror and then glanced down to his mobile phone. When he looked back up both his father and Mr Castle were gone, the court heard. Mr Woodgate's son explained that he then called his dad who said, "I've got to go and see somebody, they've told me to turn my phone off". No further phone calls were picked up, the jury was told. Mr Castle was arrested just before 20:00 BST the same day on suspicion of kidnapping. The defendant later told police Mr Woodgate was safe when he dropped him off earlier. Prosecutors allege Mr Castle then went back to conceal Mr Woodgate's body further in undergrowth after he was released on police bail. The trial continues. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Murder charge after body found in missing man search HM Courts & Tribunals Service
