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Catch up with all your latest news from across the county with Chloe Brewster.
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01:40But first, tonight, the court has heard that Maidstone MP Anne Whittacombe was killed after being struck by a hammer.
01:47The accused 28-year-old Joshua Kerry appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today following Whittacombe's death on July 8th.
01:54The 78-year-old's inquest also took place this morning, which set out the circumstances of the former MP's death.
02:00Kristen Hawthorne joins me now to tell us what we know so far.
02:04Kristen, obviously before this, she, obviously in the news that she passed away was on July 8th.
02:09Today we've had a lot more updates.
02:11Can you just give us a glimpse at what those are?
02:13Yeah, so the details that we've had today are quite shocking.
02:18I mean, it really does lay out the details of what happened on the day and to the extent of
02:24things that just weren't expected really.
02:28So, Joshua Kerry, 28 years old, from South Yorkshire, appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court today.
02:35He appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and
02:40address.
02:42He was remanded in custody and is to appear at the Old Bailey later on Tuesday.
02:47So, what we did find out was more details about that day, as I said.
02:52So, it started because, so she was killed at her home on July 8th and what police say was a
02:59targeted attack.
03:00It started because she did not attend a pre-arranged interview online just before 1pm for Channel 5.
03:06So, the court heard that the production team contacted her personal assistant, who then asked the family gardener to check
03:12on her.
03:12The family gardener then went over the next day, I believe, to check on her and found the politician lying
03:18face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury.
03:21The prosecutor said Miss Woodicum had been eating lunch when Kerry, the alleged murderer, pulled up outside the front of
03:30her house in a red Vauxhall Corsa and entered through the front door.
03:33And these are the details that can be quite shocking. So, if there's any children listening, just be sure to
03:38cover their ears.
03:39The murderer accused then allegedly used a hammer to hit her on the top of her head 21 times, the
03:44court heard.
03:45And he's being accused of tipping her from her chair and taking a wallet out of her handbag before leaving
03:50and driving off, having only been in the house for just two minutes.
03:54So, this all conspired in just two minutes. So, those are the details that we have so far.
03:58And when's the next update going to be? When will we get more information?
04:04Well, there's still a lot to be investigated. A post-mortem has been carried out.
04:09But the senior coroner for Devon said that at this stage, the precise medical cause of death is yet to
04:14be established.
04:15And he added that it continues to be intensive and a complex investigation for the police.
04:20And like I said, he's appearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
04:23Thank you so much for joining us, Kristin, and bringing us that update.
04:25Right. Car theft data is showing decreasing numbers of cars going missing from driveways.
04:31But does it mean that you're safe?
04:33In the second part of this KMTV special investigation, we take a look at where in Kent is the most
04:38popular for thieves
04:39and what is the most effective way at keeping your vehicle safe.
04:42Vin McDermid reports.
04:44This video from Kent Police shows what they believe is a chop shop where stolen cars are stripped down, taken
04:50apart and sold on.
04:51The site near Gravesend was raided by the law enforcement earlier this month.
04:55And this is the moment where police arrested two men after a porch was stolen in Birchington in Thanet earlier
05:01this year.
05:03As a whole, car theft in Kent is going down, with a decrease of more than 500 thefts between 2024
05:09and 2025.
05:11But they do still occur, and I want to find out where and why.
05:15Looking at information available online, we can see that certain areas of the county are higher above the national average
05:21rate for vehicle crime here in the UK,
05:23with Dartford, Medway and Maidstone being particularly high.
05:26And while this data does get us where we need to be, it doesn't exactly open the door when it
05:32comes to car theft.
05:34Well, vehicle crime does account for car theft, but it also includes items taken from a car, any parts taken
05:40from it, like a catalytic converter,
05:42and it also includes any damage done to the car.
05:45So I need a sense of where in Kent is worse off for specifically vehicle theft.
05:50And something I've noticed in talking to people is that oftentimes certain areas are targeted by thieves or gangs rather
05:56than individuals,
05:57leading to more areas using car protection services.
06:00People either see that a neighbor has had a car stolen, or, you know, on their sort of street WhatsApp
06:05group,
06:06someone saying like, ah, we saw some people snooping around last night, you know, trying doors, flashlights, that sort of
06:12thing.
06:13So a lot of people call us and they're like, we're really worried that there's going to be another attempt
06:16tonight,
06:17or my neighbor's, you know, car has been gone, maybe I'll be next.
06:20On our own systems, that there's like little hot spots of streets.
06:24It's almost like we can track where crime is happening, and then we can usually say, okay,
06:28we're sure that over the last few weeks there's been a lot of crime in this area
06:32because we're getting so many calls from this one little area,
06:34and we can usually track it through a county or through an area, which is really strange.
06:38With car theft, prevention is key, whether it's using trackers, installing bollards, or anti-key cloning technology.
06:45But for those who have already had their car taken, it can have a huge financial impact,
06:49and people might not be aware that standard insurance coverage isn't always going to cover all your bases.
06:55With a theft claim, unfortunately, quite often you're not entitled to a courtesy car,
07:00which is one of the difficulties that people experience,
07:03particularly if they're reliant on their vehicle for work purposes or for childcare.
07:08But where the vehicle is not being taken away and repaired,
07:11that is not something you're often covered for.
07:13I think now, particularly given the cost of living crisis post-pandemic,
07:17people are so focused on the price that actually what the policy covers
07:22is a consideration much further down the line.
07:25And unfortunately, I think some of these things don't come to people's minds
07:27until there's actually an incident, until something actually occurs,
07:30or until you experience it, unfortunately.
07:32According to Kent Police, they say they're committed to tackling vehicle theft,
07:36and where there's sufficient evidence, they'll always seek to secure charges
07:39and bring offenders to justice.
07:41Vehicle theft is often carried out by opportunistic thieves and also by organised criminal groups,
07:46and due to our proximity to the port and to London,
07:49we often see these groups travelling into Kent to commit crime.
07:52Here in Kent, car theft is going down,
07:54but people, their vehicles and their finances are still being affected,
07:58and with the crime often seeing specific areas targeted,
08:01car owners, knowing where in the county is more frequently hit,
08:04how they can prevent the theft and how best they can prepare themselves,
08:07if it does happen, is more important than ever.
08:10Finn McDermid for KMTV.
08:13The number of young people seeking support for ketamine addiction
08:17has more than doubled in the past year,
08:19reflecting a growing concern about the impact of drug use among young people.
08:23So the Kenwood Trust is urging for more funding
08:26to deal with the increasing demand for treatment,
08:28so they can treat individuals at an earlier stage.
08:31Naila Mohamed reports.
08:33I don't know what would have happened.
08:37The number of young people seeking support for ketamine addiction
08:41has doubled in the past year,
08:44with many referred to the Kenwood Trust being under the age of 24.
08:49Data from the charity also shows a sharp increase in women
08:53seeking support for addiction.
08:56Jack Bennett first tried the drug when he was 16,
08:59but started using the substance when his sister passed away
09:03when he was 19 years old.
09:05Now, 17 years later,
09:07Jack is doing treatment for his addiction.
09:09We've seen that the amount of young people
09:12who are looking for support with ketamine addiction
09:14has doubled in the past few years.
09:16What are your thoughts on that as someone who's been through it?
09:19I think it's awful, isn't it?
09:21I feel everyone's pain,
09:23and it's hard to get into places like this in certain areas.
09:26I don't know what would have happened if I carried on using.
09:31I still struggle now,
09:35mainly every day with pains.
09:37I'm on a lot of medication, but I can deal with it.
09:39Ketamine is frequently used in a medical setting
09:42as a strong painkiller,
09:43but it's also used illegally as a recreational drug
09:47with more and more young people abusing the substance.
09:51Young kids are doing it and ruining their bodies
09:54because it's so cheap.
09:55Ketamine took over me,
09:56and I just want to break that stigma,
09:58you know what I mean?
09:59Especially men,
10:01they bottle it up,
10:02they keep quiet.
10:04Like, I've had friends committed suicide,
10:07some of them from care,
10:08my good friends.
10:09Jack was a resident at the Kenwood Trust,
10:11a Kent-based charity,
10:13providing residential rehabilitation
10:15for drug and alcohol addiction.
10:17But the charity is calling for more funding
10:19and has launched a campaign
10:21to help more young people receive treatment
10:23earlier on in their addiction.
10:25What we're particularly asking for at the moment
10:28is that more of the funding available
10:31is actually given to treat people in residential rehab.
10:36You have a better opportunity then
10:37to really support people in their long-term recovery.
10:42Residential rehab is almost a reboot, really,
10:45and gives people that opportunity
10:47to get their lives back.
10:48While living at the Trust,
10:50residents can do pottery,
10:52they can do meditation, artwork,
10:54they can even feed and walk the llamas,
10:56some of which you can see behind me now.
10:58But the Trust say that the reason they do all this
11:01is to remove temptation
11:02of wanting to use the substance again,
11:05giving them a change of scenery
11:06and a different way of life.
11:08If you or someone you know
11:10is struggling with any of the issues
11:12mentioned in this report,
11:13it's important that you reach out for help.
11:16Nayla Mohammed for KMTV in Yolding.
11:20A bomb disposal squad were called
11:21to the property of a young dad
11:23after he dug up a World War II mortar
11:25from his garden.
11:28Tyrone Innswood showed his discovery
11:30to a friend who urged him
11:31to call the bomb disposal squad.
11:33Tyrone, who lives with his wife,
11:35Alternet, and two sons,
11:36were told to wait outside their home
11:38where they alerted neighbours
11:39when the army arrived.
11:41We can see in the video there
11:42the bomb squad arriving.
11:43Alternet described the scene
11:45as like being in a movie.
11:46The army removed the device
11:47in a secure container
11:48for safe disposal elsewhere.
11:51And now it's time to take a short break,
11:53but please don't go anywhere
11:54as we have more stories just for you,
11:56including Kent's response
11:58to Andy Burnham's pledge
11:59to stop rough sleeping
12:00the day he became prime minister
12:02to give you an exciting sneak peek
12:03into a new documentary
12:04airing on KMTV tonight.
12:06All that and more after the break.
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15:29Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight.
15:31Now our Kent Homelessness Charity has spoken out following new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's
15:36pledge to end rough sleeping.
15:38He made the announcement in his first speech as Labour leader, promising £340 million
15:43to support the policy.
15:45The cash is expected to provide 1,200 homes and support for at least 3,000 people in England
15:51over a five-year period.
15:53The announcement has been welcomed by Porchlight Charity.
15:55The key point to say is we can end homelessness and rough sleeping.
16:00We have done it before and we can do it again.
16:03It is possible to do.
16:05It's only possible, though, if all elements of our society work together.
16:10This is not something that government alone can achieve.
16:15In particular, what we see, of course, is the rents going up and up and up and people's
16:20income not always being able to manage that.
16:23And that creates a real pressure on households.
16:26It creates a real pressure on individuals.
16:28And that means that some people who don't have savings or whose income doesn't go up can
16:34simply not manage and get into some absolutely terrible situations.
16:38So anything that can be done around that would be very welcome.
16:42And that's why we really welcome the Prime Minister putting attention to this, because
16:47we can't spend the next two years solely talking about reorganisation.
16:51We have to actually talk about the things that matter to people, like ending homelessness.
16:57A special educational needs school was put on an end-of-year music festival.
17:01Five Acre Wood in Maidstone hosts Woodstock, allowing its students to experience the frills
17:06of a music festival that they can't otherwise access.
17:09But funding Woodstock takes money.
17:11So the staff went on a journey to Scotland to make it happen.
17:14Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming documentary airing here on KMTV at 7pm.
17:23Known for their unique projects, from trains turned into cafes, to planes reimagined into libraries.
17:32Taking on a challenge is nothing out of the ordinary for Five Acre Wood School in Maidstone.
17:39Each year, they host Woodstock, a festival designed for their students to sing, dance and enjoy live music before the
17:50summer holidays.
17:51This celebration is vital to give them the life experience they may not be able to get due to accessibility
17:59difficulties.
18:00But it comes at quite the cost, so to be able to put on a show for their students, a
18:07team of staff take on the West Highland Way.
18:16The group successfully completed the challenge and raised over £8,700, allowing for Five Acre Wood's grand festival to go
18:31ahead.
18:32The West Highland Way Challenge demonstrates how far the staff of Five Acre Wood is willing to go for its
18:41students.
18:42Either that be five or five hundred miles.
18:51You can check the full documentary out at 7pm on KMTV.
18:54But now let's take a quick look at the weather for the coming days.
19:02It will be mostly a clear night for Kent, but there will be some cloud in Canterbury, Margate and Dover.
19:07Temperature is expected to reach highs of 17 in Medway and Dartford.
19:10Tomorrow morning, we'll also see cloudy skies covering the whole county of temperatures reaching 21 degrees in Maidstone.
19:15The afternoon will also warm up gradually of highs of 26 in Dartford, but it will still look cloudy elsewhere.
19:19And then as we're looking towards the rest of the week, we'll see clouds and a high of 25 degrees
19:25on Thursday, 27 degrees on Friday and heating up on Saturday.
19:29It's looking like a sunny day then, so make sure you make your plans for the weekend.
19:39The M20 has been rated as the best motorway in England, according to a nationwide survey.
19:45The road, which spans across Kent for over 50 miles, was given the top honours following a survey by Transport
19:51Focus.
19:51More than 9,500 drivers were asked about their last journey on a motorway managed by National Highways in the
19:58report, where the M20 received a 79% satisfaction rate.
20:02However, the survey found roadworks remain a source of frustration for drivers.
20:09A park in Kent has celebrated its 25th birthday.
20:14Maidstone Borough Council invited members of the public to the 25th anniversary of Watman Park.
20:19Along with music, there are also lots of memories of people who helped to create an art installation when the
20:23park first opened, joining in on the fun.
20:26Our community reporter, Henry Luck, has more.
20:27A small gem of a park in Maidstone has just celebrated its 25th anniversary.
20:36Opened in 2001 by human rights activist Sir Terry Waite and the then mayor Pauline Stockel as part of the
20:45Millennium Celebrations,
20:47Maidstone Borough Council has invited the community to Watman Park to mark the occasion.
20:5525 years ago, I'm a Maidstone born and bred, but I was actually working in California and a friend of
21:03mine who lived very close to the park invited us over to take a tour just after it had opened.
21:09So it seems a short time ago, but that was actually 25 years ago.
21:13And it's just lovely for anyone with families.
21:16I've got children that are now a little bit younger, a little bit older, but when they were young, we
21:20used to walk along, enjoy the river.
21:22It's just a nice place to be out and about.
21:24Behind me is one of Watman Park's most iconic features, its double helix, which was designed by Scottish artist David
21:34Annard.
21:35When the park first opened, hundreds of children's handprints were added to an art installation,
21:43and many of them, now adults, came down to join the festivities.
21:48It's really cool to be back here. I've been here a few times since the 25 years ago, which it
21:54happened.
21:55My hands have grown a little bit since then. They were only about this big and now they're fully grown
21:59size.
22:00So that's great to see. But yeah, it's surreal to be honest.
22:03I remember coming by here at various points in my childhood, in my teenage years and now in my adulthood.
22:08And it's great to see that the park's still enjoyed by tons of people, to be honest, so happy day.
22:14The investment that went into making the park in the first place was a huge thing for the council
22:20and all the different organisations that were involved. It was really an honour to be able to put something on
22:27for the 25th anniversary as a way of marking that occasion, because we're still here 25 years later.
22:34The park is still in excellent condition and it's a great resource for the people of Maidstone.
22:3825 years later, much may have changed, but the legacy of this park is still remembered.
22:46Henry Luck for KNTV in Maidstone.
22:51A former Kent journalist who suffered a brain injury while playing football will soon return to the county for his
22:57new comedy show.
22:58Matthew McHugh had worked at Kent Online before becoming a high-flying reporter at CNN,
23:03before an accident changed his life forever.
23:06Matt's journalistic career was cut short, but his comedic one is thriving, with over 400 gigs under his belt.
23:12On July 23rd, he'll be bringing his solo show to the Market House in Tombridge at 9pm.
23:17I spoke to him earlier.
23:18So obviously you've made a bit of a U-turn in your career.
23:21You used to be a journalist, now you're a comedian.
23:23Can you give us kind of a timeline of how you got to the stage you're at now?
23:28Yeah, sure. So I was living in New Zealand in 2020.
23:32I was working for a newspaper called the Otago Daily Times.
23:36And I'd been doing some freelance work for CNN as well.
23:41And, yeah, I was playing futsal, which is an indoor form of football, played with a heavier football.
23:46And, yeah, took a football to the head, which was not ideal.
23:51Thought I was fine.
23:52And then the next day I went to work, did a full day's work, and then suddenly sort of started
23:58feeling really out of it and getting a really bad headache and just feeling so sleepy.
24:03And by the next day, my vision had sort of gone weird.
24:08And a little bit later, I just, yeah, I kind of lost the ability to read and write.
24:12I was pretty much housebound for a couple of months.
24:17Yeah, made a recovery, though, thankfully, after about five, six months.
24:21And then six months after that, I started suffering from what's called a functioning neurological disorder, which is a strange
24:28thing to describe.
24:29But essentially, sometimes my brain acts as if I've got a fresh head injury and I suffer from brain fog,
24:35fatigue, memory loss and things like that.
24:38So it's been a challenge.
24:40And that was when really my career sort of disappeared.
24:46And going from such a difficult time into comedy, that's not probably a usual route people tend to take.
24:53What kind of led up to your decision to get into that?
24:58I'd done a little bit of stand-up comedy at university many, many years before.
25:03Decided to ditch comedy because I didn't feel like you could interview people one week and then turn out on
25:07stage and, I don't know, say whatever on stage without recourse for your actions.
25:14But, yeah, basically my friend was getting back into comedy as well at the time that I was suffering.
25:21And I went along to watch him and sort of got talked back into trying it.
25:27And I thought, I'll give it a go because when I had my head injury in New Zealand, I got
25:31loads of support.
25:32The New Zealand healthcare system was brilliant for head injuries.
25:36They took it very seriously.
25:37I got loads of access to occupational health therapists, the neurologist, and concussion physios.
25:44I had two concussion physios.
25:46One of the things in New Zealand that they'd encouraged me to do was do memory games.
25:51And they're really hard to do on your own, like really, really hard, especially if you're competitive, because I just
25:58claim that I've won.
25:59And I can't really remember what answers I've given.
26:02But I didn't have an occupational health therapist helping me to sort of keep track of my improvements or not.
26:08And so I thought, right, how am I going to do these memory games and help me rebuild my brain
26:12on my own?
26:13And I thought there's nothing better than going and standing in front of 30 people and having that pressure cooker
26:19of trying to remember what you're saying,
26:20because otherwise it will be, well, embarrassing.
26:23So, yeah, basically started like that.
26:25Originally, it was like five minutes of material with notes on my hand.
26:28And now, yeah, I do a full hour show with no notes.
26:32You've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
26:35There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:39You can also check out on all our latest stories by logging on to kmtv.co.uk.
26:44And you can also like us on Facebook, follow us on TikTok and Instagram.
26:47We're on there too now as well.
26:49If you have a story you think we should be covering, then please get in touch.
26:53You can do that by emailing our desk or contacting us on social media.
26:56Thank you so much for watching the show tonight.
26:58See you soon. Goodbye.