Lots of people committed crimes and were jailed earlier this month and are now spending time behind bars.

Here are just some of the criminals including drug smugglers, fraudsters, sex offenders, thieves and thugs and who committed crimes in March.

Peter Harness

A 64-year-old man was shaking with nerves as he tried to smuggle almost £300,000 worth of a drug commonly known as monkey dust through the Channel Tunnel.

Mechanical fitter Peter Harness told Border Force officers at Coquelles he was returning from a business trip in Holland when his VW Polo was stopped in November last year.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard he was "visibly shaking" and could not hold his phone still as he tried to provide proof of his overnight stay and his anxiety then increased when officers searched his rucksack. They found 14 silver-taped packages beneath his clothes.

Each contained 1kg of methylenedioxy-a-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP), a class B drug said to have an effect similar to cocaine and amphetamine, and with an estimated street value of £280,000.

Harness, of Immingham in Lincolnshire, gave a 'no-comment' interview but later admitted drug smuggling.

Jailing him for three years, Recorder Daniel Stevenson said: "It's impossible to overstate the harm the importation of wholesale drugs does to society.

"You were a courier but your role was clearly significant.

“You were highly trusted and expecting to be paid up to £5,000."

Wahiduzzaman Akanda

A bar owner wept as he was sent to prison for seven years for sexually assaulting a woman.

MD Wahiduzzaman Akanda’s victim sat in court as the father-of-two was convicted for two sex attacks.

Akanda was found guilty by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court after he pressured the victim into drinking alcohol when she repeatedly refused, but he made her drink a mix of cocktails and shots, to the point that she was sick.

The 39-year-old then followed her into the female toilets where he sexually assaulted her in spite of her telling him to stop and she was heard crying by another person who attempted to check on her welfare, but Akanda told them that she was fine and the person left.

When Akanda, of Railway Street, Gillingham, left the toilet, the victim locked herself in a cubicle and called the police before leaving the premises and Akanda was located and arrested on the following day.

Judge Gareth Branston heard how the woman, who has been left feeling triggered by even the smell of the aftershave Akanda was wearing at the time, was sexually assaulted by the Gravesend bar boss during the Covid lockdown in October 2020.

Akanda was told he will have to serve two-thirds of the sentence before he would be eligible for parole and Lesley Manley, defending, said Akanda was “deeply ashamed” by the incident and fears his business would go bust if he was locked up.

Akanda, who began crying as his barrister pleaded for a lighter suspended sentence, left the dock without looking at his victim.

Shaun Brocklehurst

A would-be thief tackled by a Co-op boss as he tried to steal alcohol later returned to the shop and set it on fire in a terrifying revenge attack.

Angry at being foiled in his violent bid to shoplift booze from the store in Cheriton High Street, Shaun Brocklehurst went home to collect a petrol can.

Fortunately, and despite what was described as "a rush of flames", the fire was quickly extinguished by the owner of a nearby takeaway and no one was injured.

But on sentencing him, a judge at Canterbury Crown Court said the potential outcome of his decision to "teach a lesson" to the manager were "quite mind-boggling" and the court also heard Brocklehurst, who has 17 previous convictions for 46 offences, was spotted putting alcohol into a bag at the store at about 6.40pm on Sunday, August 13 last year.

But when challenged by manager, a tussle over the bag ensued, resulting in Brocklehurst repeatedly lashing out with his fists and feet and he then fled the store, but came back and set the frontage ablaze.

Brocklehurst, of Phillip Road, Folkestone, was arrested and admitted "unequivocally" what he had done, breaking down in tears and blaming his addiction to alcohol and poor mental health. He later pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

On jailing Brocklehurst for three years, Judge Mark Weekes said the fire had "undoubtedly" been started in revenge for the manager preventing his shoplifting attempt.

Sali Igalliu

A drug dealer was jailed after hiding bags of cocaine behind a car air vent.

Sali Igalliu was stopped by police officers in December 2022, in Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, after they flagged his car as potentially having no insurance.

He was unable to tell officers where he was going, so he was detained for a drug search and a bag containing 11 street deals of cocaine was found hidden behind an air vent.

Officers also seized £360 in cash, as well as a phone which contained several postcodes and messages consistent with drugs supply.

Igalliu was then linked to an organised crime group which uses text messages and postcodes to deliver cocaine.

During police interviews, he denied dealing and said the drugs seized were for his own personal use.

Igalliu, formerly of Turner Road, Tonbridge, was charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property, namely the cash seized.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court, and was sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment.

Max Martin

A robber revealed his own name after taking money from his victim and failing to persuade him to extract cash from an ATM.

Max Martin approached a man in his 60s in Sittingbourne High Street in December last year.

Martin started talking to the man, who he did not know, and demanded he withdraw money from the cash machine, but when the victim said he did not have any money, Martin put his hand in his pocket and said he had a knife.

The man was subjected to further threats and after Martin became increasingly aggressive towards him, he handed over the change in his pocket.

Martin warned his victim not to call the police and in an attempt to put him in fear of further violence said: “I’m Max Martin.”

The robbery was reported to police and Martin, of The Meadows, Sittingbourne, was arrested.

The 40-year-old was later charged with robbery and pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was jailed for three years and two months.

The sentence included two months' imprisonment for breaching a suspended sentence.

Dimeiro Campbell

Two “violent” teenagers were jailed after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed multiple times in a town centre last year.

Witnesses described seeing the youngster left covered in blood on the floor and fighting for his life after being attacked in Gillingham High Street on March 9.

Officers were called to the scene outside Wilko and Sports Direct and the victim was taken to a London hospital after being knifed in the back and arm.

Dimeiro Campbell, 18, of Chester Road, Gillingham, and a 16-year-old boy from London, who can’t be named for legal reasons, were locked up for the crime.

Campbell and his associate confronted their victim, who they didn’t know, while in a group and after a short conversation the pair stabbed him multiple times.

The victim suffered multiple injuries including an arterial bleed from a wound in one of his arms. Attending officers and two members of the public who had been passing, gave first aid.

He was taken to hospital for treatment to life-threatening injuries but was later discharged.

Campbell and the teen were charged with wounding with intent and possession of a knife in a public place and pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. They were both sentenced to four years and three months’ imprisonment.

Lewis Falegan and Reis Bhandal

Two drug dealers were jailed after some suspicious driving led to a police chase on the A2.

Patrols spotted a Ford Kuga travelling erratically in Gravesend before it sped away from officers on September 4, last year.

It came to an abrupt stop in Station Road, Belvedere, and driver Lewis Falegan got out of the car with passenger Reis Bhandal before running off.

The County Lines dealers were caught almost immediately and taken into custody and it was later discovered the car they were driving had fake number plates and was stolen from Dulwich the month before.

A search was completed and officers seized more than 40 wraps of cocaine and heroin in and around the vehicle as well as four mobile phones.

Cash was seized from a bag Bhandal was wearing and around £10,000 was recovered from his home address.

Bhandal, of Shirley Close, Dartford, and Falegan, of Ashburnham Road, Belvedere, were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of heroin with intent to supply and handling stolen property.

The pair pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court and Falegan and Bhandal, both aged 23, were sentenced to five years and seven months’ imprisonment.

James Shoobert

A swindling car salesman tricked his victims into handing over £60,000 for vehicles they would never receive.

James Shoobert convinced those he knew that he had ways of buying vehicles at reduced rates due to the nature of his work in Canterbury.

The 39-year-old told five people between March and August 2022 - all of whom he knew - he would get a car at a cheaper-than-usual price.

They paid him more than £60,000 believing they would get a vehicle, but they did not get a car or a refund.

The offences were reported to police later the same year and Shoobert was charged with multiple counts of fraud last year.

The Scarborough resident was jailed for two years and four months after admitting the offences at Canterbury Crown Court.

Investigating officer PC Aimee Gossett said: “Shoobert lied to his victims so that he could defraud them out of considerable amounts of money.

“Kent Police takes reports of fraud very seriously and will always work to bring those behind such offences to justice and attempt to recover losses for victims.”

Terry Knott

A child groomer who targeted his victim for months was jailed for five years.

Terry Knott admitted three charges of sexual activity with a minor at Woolwich Crown Court.

The 32-year-old, from Gravesend, was arrested in December last year after police received allegations he had committed the offences over the preceding two months.

In total, Knott was given five years and three months behind bars.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders’ register and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

Investigating officer, PC Henry Skinner said: “Knott spent time grooming his young victim and once he had gained their trust, committed these appalling crimes.

“His offending will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the child who showed incredible courage in disclosing their ordeal.

“Knott must now face the consequences of his actions as he starts a lengthy prison sentence.”

Benjamin Newton-Alfred

A drug dealer who tried to hide more than 240 bags of crack cocaine and heroin in his underwear was jailed.

Benjamin Newton-Alfred was on the sofa when he was caught by police investigating the supply of class A drugs by the “Ace” crime gang.

A search warrant was executed at a home in Sturla Road, Chatham, on December 8, 2021, where the 36-year-old was located and immediately detained.

Newton-Alfred was searched and officers found a zip-sealed bag hidden in his underwear which contained 200 wraps of crack cocaine and 41 deals of heroin.

Between the sofa cushions, they also found around £5,000 in cash and 15 large wraps of the two drugs and the total street value seized was estimated to be close to £8,750.

A mobile phone was also found next to Newton-Alfred which started to ring and when officers answered it, the caller asked to buy drugs.

Newton-Alfred was taken into custody and later charged with possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of heroin with intent to supply.

He pleaded guilty to both indictments at Maidstone Crown Court and Newton-Alfred, of no fixed address, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Christopher Lamb

A prolific shoplifter was banned from every Aldi, Co-op and Superdrug in Kent.

Christopher Lamb, from Faversham, was also jailed for three months after pleading guilty to eight counts of theft.

The 42-year-old is also banned from entering any retail premises while carrying a bag, loitering outside any shop or cashpoint and must leave a shop if asked to do so.

He was sentenced at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court and will be subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for three years and Lamb, of Love Lane in the market town, is banned from entering any Aldi, Co-op or Superdrug store in Kent during that period.

Further conditions prevent him from approaching any member of the public and asking for money or charitable donations.

Officers from Kent Police’s Strategic Prevention Command applied for the CBO following the series of thefts in Sittingbourne between February and June last year.

PC Jamie Spencer said: “Kent Police is determined to tackle this type of crime and I am pleased that Lamb has been handed both a custodial sentence and a CBO that will prevent his opportunity to re-offend on his release.

“If he breaches any of the conditions he will be immediately brought back before the court to answer for his actions.”

Benn Bath, Joshua Paige, Christopher Meale and Paul Farrell

Drug smugglers who tried to transport millions of pounds worth of cocaine on board a cruise ship were locked up.

Experienced maritime workers Benn Bath, from Staplehurst, and Joshua Paige, from High Halstow, were both involved in the plot to bring the class A loot to UK waters.

In March 2020 a holiday cruise liner called the Marella Discovery 2 was making its voyage around the Caribbean when its journey was abandoned due to lockdown and its passengers disembarked in Jamaica as the liner made its way back to Europe with her crew.

One of these members was bartender Milos Bigovic who, upon the ship’s return to the UK on April 25, 2020, tried to hand over 28kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of around £2 million to Bath and Paige.

The 22-year-old cruise worker had smuggled the drugs onto the boat when it was ported in Colombia a month earlier and while moored at the Isle of Wight, Bigovic hauled the drugs to the port side of the boat in a holdall and began lowering it over the side with a rope – but the load was so heavy the process burnt the Serbian’s hands.

Waiting below in a rubber raft was Bath and Paige who had bought the vessel for £5,000, and had sailed in another boat, the Chatham Albatross, from the River Medway, towing the raft on their journey to help get closer to the cruise ship while it was docked and accepted the drugs under cover of darkness.

Overlooking the transfer however were members of the Border Force who, upon seeing someone return to the Albatross, arrested its two-man crew and the pair then threw the drugs overboard. Bigovic was arrested and admitted to importing cocaine and he was jailed for 11 years in 2021.

Bath, 36, and Paige, 31 were also convicted of the same charge at Winchester Crown Court earlier this month alongside Christopher Mealey, 47, of Upper Park Street, Liverpool, and Paul Farrell, 44, of Alexandra Street, Bolton, who had also been contacts for unknown offenders connected to an inland Europe organised crime gang and Farrell was jailed for 23 years; Mealey for 22 years; Bath for 18 years and Paige was locked up eight years.

Joshua Jimbel

A "manipulative" church pastor who left his wife battered and bleeding from a violent assault was jailed.

Joshua Jimbel, who until his arrest preached daily via his social media accounts to followers of the Heavenly Jerusalem Assembly, launched his brutal attack on his spouse after locking her in their bedroom at their Ramsgate home.

Canterbury Crown Court heard he repeatedly punched her to the head, pulled her hair and tried to strangle her but as soon as she managed to escape, she bravely grabbed her phone to film herself screaming for help as blood oozed from her wound.

The distressing footage, which also captured her husband of 16 years putting his hand over her mouth and nose, was then sent to a friend and police were alerted, but before officers had arrived, Jimbel sinisterly warned his injured wife that if he lost his job with the NHS they would be sent back to Nigeria and he would "deal with her in the most severe way".

Even his arrest did little to deter him as, while on remand in prison, he contacted his wife and speaking in their native Igbo language, tried to persuade her to tell police she did not want him prosecuted.

Jimbel, 43, initially denied charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice but changed his pleas to guilty during his trial.

However, on sentencing, Judge Mark Weekes remarked that the pastor had maintained his innocence until after his wife had given evidence and been cross-examined.

The court heard Jimbel, of St John's Avenue, has no previous convictions but will be deported on his release from prison after he has served his three-and-a-half-year sentence.

Michael McGee

A paedophile who sent explicit images to a girl he thought was 12-years-old was locked up.

Between November and December last year Michael McGee was messaging someone he thought was a young girl as well as trying to arrange to meet her.

The 36-year-old, of King Street, Ramsgate, pleaded guilty to one count each of arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) at Reading Crown Court.

McGee had breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by factory resetting one of his devices.

He was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

Investigating officer DS Lisa Betchley, of SEROCU, said: “SEROCU takes sexual offending extremely seriously.

“McGee contacted and arranged to meet someone he believed to be underage, but thankfully no children were in danger, however McGee’s intentions were clear.

“Further, due to the risk that he was deemed to pose because of previous offending, he was made subject to a SHPO meaning that he had to abide by certain conditions.”

Mark Billingy

A racist “menace” was jailed after a four-month crime spree which included robbery and threatening residents with knives.

Mark Billingy left people in fear of violence in Herne Bay town centre during a number of incidents between May and August 2023.

The 47-year-old, formerly of St George's Terrace, Herne Bay, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court for his offences, which include possession of an imitation firearm, robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, theft and affray.

He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and will serve an extended three years on licence following that term.

Billingy's first offences took place on May 23 last year when he threatened a member of staff at a shop in William Street which led to him being stopped by a local officer who found a knife in his possession, then just two weeks later, on June 6, Billingy got into an argument with a motorist in Beech Street, proceeding to kick the man's car and waving a flick knife, putting the man and other drivers in fear.

Later that month, Billingy got into yet another argument – this time with a group of men in Central Parade, to whom he made racist comments. He left and returned to the scene with a BB gun and knife, while continuing to make threats towards them.

Police attended and Billingy was arrested at his home and charged the following day, but while on court bail on August 20, Billingy attended a store in Herne Bay High Street to shoplift and made threats of violence to a member of staff who challenged him.

He was again arrested and charged with further offences the following day.

James Clark

A paedophile encouraged young girls to send him explicit photos before threatening to show the pictures to their parents or school if they refused his demands for more.

James Clark, 26, targeted his many victims online, often posing as a teenage boy as he sent and requested indecent images.

He would then attempt to blackmail the girls into sharing more photos, warning them the “embarrassing” material would be revealed to others if they rejected his sinister requests.

But one girl was brave enough to call his bluff, branding him a "creep with a phone" as she told him to "go ahead" and show the photos because it would land him in trouble "in the end", and her words would prove prophetic as Clark, from Whitstable, was eventually arrested and jailed for more than five years.

Canterbury Crown Court heard his warped behaviour came to the attention of police in February 2021 when one 13-year-old girl he contacted while pretending to be 18 and via the Kik app was in fact an undercover police officer.

His home was raided and a phone, SIM card and hard drive found under his bed were seized for analysis and on his mobile phone were more than 180 indecent still images of children and 15 videos which depicted abuse across all three categorisations of depravity and on children aged between one and 10.

Following his arrest, Clark was charged and then on court bail when police seized two phones in January last year during a visit to his home and when analysed, they found eight indecent images of children, which had been downloaded prior to his original arrest, as well as a more recent image depicting bestiality with a dog.

Clark, of Walmer Road, admitted nine charges of attempted sexual communication with a child, four of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, two of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, four of making indecent photos of a child, one of distributing indecent photos of a child and one of possessing extreme pornography and he was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirement and was jailed for five-and-a-half years.

Grant Ray

Two thugs left a homeless man fearing he would die as he was kicked, punched and slashed with a knife while lying in his tent.

Ben Laker had been asleep in his zipped-up shelter in Folkestone when he was rudely awakened by demands for a phone followed by the "slicing" open of his makeshift home.

He told Canterbury Crown Court he "could not make any sense" of what was being said shortly before "absolute madness" erupted and he curled up into a ball to protect himself from attack.

Having recognised the knifeman as Grant Ray, Mr Laker told a jury: "I was terrified. I honestly thought I was going to die. I honestly thought he was going to cut my throat or my chest. If I didn't put my leg up it would have been a lot worse."

But following the crooks’ sentencing hearing earlier this month, one of his assailants is now behind bars, and the court heard Mr Laker had been sleeping in a grassy, isolated area of the town known locally as The Viaduct for about two to three weeks when he was assaulted.

He said he had chosen that spot, near Bradstone Avenue, because he thought he would be safe, but at about 8.30pm on May 5, 2022, he was accosted by 31-year-old Ray and an accomplice, Christopher Hunter, 47, as a result of a falling out between Ray's partner and Mr Laker's girlfriend.

Unemployed Ray, of Watkin Road, Folkestone, denied wounding with intent but was convicted, he had however admitted assaulting an emergency worker in relation to his behaviour on arrest.

Hunter, a construction worker of Harbour Way, Folkestone, was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm and Ray, who has previous convictions for robbery and fraud, was jailed for seven years, with Hunter being sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation activity sessions, and 120 days' alcohol abstinence monitoring.

Jamal Elkhadir and Houcine Argoub

Two men who attempted to smuggle 39 migrants out of the UK – including a six-year-old boy – in the back of a refrigerated lorry were jailed for 12 years.

Jamal Elkhadir, 47, from Morocco, and Houcine Argoub, 32, from Bromley, were being watched by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers when they met in a layby near Sandwich.

Argoub, who was driving a van, parked close to Elkhadir’s Moroccan-registered HGV during the incident last September and several people were spotted exiting the vehicle and climbing into the back of the lorry.

NCA officers intercepted the lorry, which could only be opened from the outside, when it arrived at the docks in Dover and 39 migrants of North African origin were found inside and the group, who were all Algerian or Moroccan, included a family travelling with their six-year-old son and a teenage girl.

Elkhadir was arrested at the docks on suspicion of assisting unlawful immigration, while Argoub was arrested at his home address later, with Elkhadir claiming he had been delivering tomatoes to three businesses in the UK and had stopped for a rest break with the doors unlocked in the layby.

He then changed his story and claimed he had been threatened at gunpoint to transport migrants to France.

Both Elkhadir and Argoub pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration when they appeared at Canterbury Crown Court.

Elkhadir was sentenced to six years and nine months imprisonment, while Argoub received a prison sentence of five years and three months.

Joseph Kemp

A paedophile was jailed after approaching schoolgirls at a bus stop and asking them to perform sex acts.

Joseph Kemp of Tenterden Road, Cranbrook, propositioned the children at bus stops in Tenterden last November.

At a sentencing hearing at Canterbury Crown Court, prosecutor Martin Yale said the 33-year-old predator approached two teenagers while they were waiting for their bus and he offered one of the girls £20 to touch his penis.

The prosecutor added: “He then asked the other girl, ‘Will you give me a handjob for £20?’”

Both girls reported the incident to their parents who contacted the police, but just a few days later Kemp went to another bus stop in town and offered money to two other minors when he said: ‘You don’t need to do anything, just watch’, and then he put his hand down his trousers.

The court heard Kemp, committed these crimes while he was on bail for other sexual offences committed the year before, when he began an online chat with someone he thought was a 12-year-old-girl, but he was talking to an undercover officer who he encouraged to meet him and wanted her to perform sex acts on him in exchange for £200 and on his devices officers found hundreds of indecent images of children as young as eight, as well as extreme pornography involving animals.

Kemp pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communications with a child, possession of indecent images of children, possession of extreme pornography, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison and will be subject to a sexual notification requirement for 15 years.

Zak Burr

A drug dealer was jailed after being caught supplying more than 300 users across part of the county.

Cocaine and a burner phone used to send bulk marketing messages were seized by officers after they spotted an exchange taking place in Tonbridge town centre.

The phone line was controlled by Zak Burr, and he was arrested on June 27 after plain-clothes constables saw him approach a car in the High Street during a suspected drug exchange for cash.

The officers followed Burr into a nearby pub where he was arrested and a mobile phone in his pocket was seized and an associate of Burr, Jacob Startup, was also detained after he was found in possession of 11 street deals of cocaine.

When Burr’s phone was examined, the number proved a match for a supply network which had been identified by police in the weeks before and the device had been active since April and was used to send bulk marketing text messages to more than 300 users.

Burr, 23, of no fixed address, was charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and he pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to two years and eight months' imprisonment.

Startup, 19, of Lockside, Tonbridge, admitted the same offence, as well as a charge of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, but he was sentenced at the same court on the basis of occupying a lesser role.

He was given a suspended sentence and will have to comply with a rehabilitation order and carry out 40 hours of unpaid work.

Neil Adams

A UK Border Force agent and his girlfriend secretly filmed women in toilets and changing rooms for their own “perverse sexual gratification”.

Neil Adams and Stephanie Whitehead used mobile phones to capture the footage during a years-long campaign that would see multiple victims later identified by police.

Adams, 40, even videoed women as they used toilets at the Port of Calais and Dunkirk Ferry Port and the couple’s offending was only uncovered after one woman spotted a hidden mobile phone as she used a loo with her young child.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the victim reported as she bent down to pull up the child’s underwear she saw the sunlight on a camera lens and located a mobile phone wrapped in a microfibre towel, facing the lavatory.

Whitehead, 40, was complicit in the making of the covert tapes, and also captured women in various states of undress in the changing rooms of clothing stores and a swimming pool.

After police were alerted, the couple's home in Ashford was raided and digital forensic analysis of their phones and computers revealed the extent of their disturbing crimes and across many videos taken between 2014 and 2020, the pair were even caught red-handed on camera in the mirrors of changing rooms or placing and collecting the devices.

Adams and Whitehead, who together have a young son, pleaded guilty to 11 and seven counts of voyeurism, respectively and Adams also admitted making an indecent image of a child and sexual assault.

Adams was jailed for 28 months, while Whitehead was given a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for two years and was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and both are now subject to a sexual offence notification requirement for 10 years.

Jesse Connor

A teenager was locked up for more than six years after stabbing two people in a late-night row.

Jesse Connor, 18, was part of a group drinking in a pub in Harbour Street, Ramsgate, when they got into an argument with another group.

The other group, which included the two victims, left the pub at about 10pm and later, shortly after 11pm, Connor and his friends caught up with them in Harbour Street and, following a verbal exchange, Connor punched one of them.

A fight broke out and Connor was seen stamping towards the head of one of the men before taking a sharp object out of his pocket and using it as a weapon.

The victims sustained serious injuries, with one flown to a London hospital with head injuries and stab wounds, and another suffering stab wounds to his back and arm.

The weapon was not recovered but Connor, who was arrested and charged later claimed it was a key.

The 18-year-old, of Meridian Close in Ramsgate, later admitted two counts of causing grievous body harm with intent and one count of affray.

He was sent to a young offenders' institution for six years and nine months when he was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

To see who was locked up in February, click here.

Pedro Lima

A property letting agent helped to rob two sex workers of "every last penny" in a terrifying armed raid.

Pedro Lima was said to be acting as "hired muscle" when the women were confronted at a brothel in Ramsgate.

The 35-year-old and his two accomplices – masked and brandishing what appeared to be guns – barked threats while holding a weapon against the head of one of their frightened victims.

Their belongings were then ransacked before the violent intruders fled with a haul containing everything from bundles of £20 notes to medicine and a selfie taken by Lima was later found by police showing all three men – one wielding a gun – with their loot laid out on a bed.

At the time of his arrest, Lima was said to be "desperate for cash" and living in his car following a breakdown in his marriage and inside the vehicle, police found a knife and two air pistols.

He later pleaded guilty to two offences of robbery, one of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, two of possessing an air weapon in a public place and one of possessing a knife.

Canterbury Crown Court the two sex workers had been deliberately targeted while working at the brothel operating from a house in Abbots Hill on November 24 last year, but Lima, of Scottwell Drive, Edgware, north London, disputed he played a leading role in the enterprise.

However, on jailing Lima for seven-and-a-half years, Judge Simon James said it was "difficult to reconcile" any assertion of remorse with the selfie photo Lima took shortly after what would have been "a truly terrifying experience" for his victims.

David Knight

A convicted sex offender was jailed again after he was found using his phone to send explicit messages to a child.

Former East Malling resident, David Knight, used social media apps including TikTok to befriend the young boy and made repeated attempts to meet the victim on his own.

Knight, 46, was previously sentenced in 2005 to more than six years’ imprisonment, for offences relating to the sexual abuse of children.

He was convicted under his former name of David Thomas and added to the sex offenders’ register for life and upon his release from prison he changed his name to David Knight and became the subject of new allegations made to Kent Police in August 2022.

An investigation established Knight had been communicating with a child by using internet platforms including TikTok and posting under the profile name of FireKnight2017, he sent several inappropriate and explicit messages, and expressed a desire to be with the child on their own.

Knight was arrested on August 16 and analysis of his phone found searches on the internet including ‘nude junior archives’ and ‘kids’ nudists chase game’ and he was charged with attempting to meet a child following grooming and failing to comply with a notification requirement.

Knight, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court, where a further offence of engaging in sexual communication with a child was ordered to lie on file and he was jailed for four years and one month.

He will have to serve two-thirds of the sentence before he can apply for parole and upon release Knight will be the subject of an additional licence period of three years, as well as a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order, both for 10 years.

Naomi North

A mum-of-four who killed a “gregarious” grandfather in a hit-and-run was jailed for four years.

Naomi North, who has three previous convictions for drink-driving, mowed down disabled 72-year-old Bill Roache while he was using a Pelican crossing in New Road, Chatham on August 10, 2020.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 30-year-old then drove off, with the windscreen on her Ford Fiesta smashed and leaving the dying pensioner, who had suffered multiple injuries, in the road.

North, of Church Road, Swanscombe, then spent the night in a park before walking to see her sister, who called the police the next day.

Although she later admitted causing Mr Roache’s death by careless driving, she denied the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving, but was found guilty by a jury following a trial in February.

On returning for sentence earlier this month, Judge Oliver Saxby KC said the mum, whose children are all under the age of 10 with the youngest just nine months old, should not have been on the road when she struck the “extremely vulnerable” Mr Roache because she had not taken her anxiety medication “for days” and knew that dual carriageway section of New Road to be “dangerous.”

She was driving her car between 29 and 33mph limit - the limit was 30mph - and hit Mr Roache, who had activated the crossing lights, at about 11pm, when he was just a few feet from the kerb.

Jailing North, Judge Saxby said he had imposed a “just and proportionate” punishment taking account of all the circumstances, but added that no penalty could “make good Mr Roache’s passing,” and he also banned her from driving for 12 years and ordered to take an extended retest to regain her licence.

Stuart McMahon

A cowardly thug dragged his girlfriend along Herne Bay pier and threatened to throw her into the sea during a campaign of controlling abuse.

Stuart McMahon subjected his partner to coercion and sometimes violence, which culminated in the harrowing ordeal on the town’s landmark, during which he asked her: “Can you swim?”

The 48-year-old also attacked her with a dog lead, held a blade to her throat, and regularly subjected her to threats and financial abuse during their one-year relationship

Canterbury Crown Court heard on one occasion, McMahon threatened to toss the woman into deep water on Herne Bay Pier, where he dragged her out of her vehicle and she was scared he was going to throw her in the sea because he was saying ‘Can you swim?’.

During another fit of rage, McMahon, of no fixed abode, held a large carving knife to her throat and on another occasion, he threw a thick leather dog lead with a buckle into her face and throughout the relationship he made threats and called her names and financially abused her daily.

At previous hearings, McMahon had pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, inflicting grievous bodily harm and sending electronic communication with intent to cause distress.

He also admitted two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards police officers, failing to provide a specimen of breath when being required to do so and driving while disqualified.

McMahon was jailed for two years and nine months and handed a seven-year restraining order and when he is released from prison, he will be banned from driving for an additional three years.

Jack Grindley and Leon Melson

Dramatic footage showed the moment armed police arrested four people after jewellery, cash and designer clothing were stolen during a burglary.

Jack Grindley, 21, and Leon Melson, 20, were jailed after they broke into the property in Lauren Van Der Post Way in Ashford in July.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, also entered the property while Ella Steadman, 22, waited outside the address and furniture was damaged and threats were made to the victim - who was known to Grindley, Melson and Steadman.

The victim fled the scene but returned later to find jewellery, cash and designer clothing missing and police tracked the car the offenders were travelling in to Sittingbourne, where the vehicle was stopped and the four occupants were arrested and later charged.

Grindley, of Bowens Field, pleaded guilty to burglary and affray and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to a year and 10 months’ imprisonment.

The same sentence was imposed on Melson, of Tennyson Road, who also pleaded guilty to burglary and affray.

Steadman, of Bowens Field, pleaded guilty to burglary and affray and was given a 16-month suspended sentence.

The teenager, who pleaded guilty to affray and handling stolen goods, received a community order.

Clinton Woodcock

A paedophile who sexually abused a teenager was jailed for more than two years.

Clinton Woodcock, from Chatham, had previously denied the offences but was found guilty by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was convicted on three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child aged 13 to 15, and one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child aged 13 to 15.

Woodcock, of Eden Avenue, committed the offences in Gillingham between 2016 and 2018.

The 50-year-old sex offender was also charged with two counts of voyeurism in 2021 and admitted those offences.

Woodcock was jailed for two years and 10 months and handed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

Investigating officer DC Emma Davies said: “Woodcock denied the offending and put his victim through the ordeal of a trial where the details were heard in full and I want to commend the victim for reporting his offending.”

Craig Judd

A ferocious thug repeatedly stabbed a man in the street before shouting at those trying to save him “let him die.”

Craig Judd plunged the blade four times into Caspian Francis’ torso and buttocks in an explosion of violence, near his Margate home.

Mr Francis’ injuries were so severe he would likely have died without urgent surgery following the attack and Judd, 25, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years at Canterbury Crown Court where details of the disturbing events were laid bare.

The court heard Judd told the authorities he suffered a blackout and had no recollection of setting upon his victim just after midnight on August 13 last year, he also argued Mr Francis was a stranger to him, despite witnesses' accounts pointing to the contrary.

Judd was arrested with a wounded eye at the scene and when officers quizzed him, he said he met Mr Francis for the first time that night after returning home from a night drinking and claimed Mr Francis knocked on his door saying “Sorry mate, I’m lost” then entered his house to charge his phone.

The court heard how Mr Francis was admitted to Kings College Hospital and taken to intensive care and medical notes stated he had four stab wounds - two to the rib area on the right side of his body, a third to the lower back and one to the right buttock.

Judd was originally charged with attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of wounding with intent which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

At his sentencing hearing earlier this month, Judd appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and remained silent throughout proceedings and his lawyer Kerry Waitt said he admits intending to cause Mr Francis serious injury, but has since expressed remorse for his actions.

Jack Hennessy

A domestic abuser who confessed to pulling a knife on his girlfriend in a chilling video clip was jailed.

Jack Hennessy stalked and abused a woman in Maidstone in a campaign of violence, control, and intimidation that lasted several months, even threatening to blow up her car after the police became involved.

Threats were made through constant phone calls and when Hennessy learned that police had been informed of the abuse he even warned he would “blow up her car.”

Hennessy, of no fixed address, was charged with stalking involving fear of violence as well as controlling and coercive behaviour, and threatening with an offensive weapon.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on and was sentenced to three years and four months in jail.

On his release from prison, he will be the subject of a five-year restraining order.

PC Olivia Cox said: “Hennessy is a violent and aggressive bully, the likes of whom can make victims' lives a misery.”

“He used abuse, fear, and intimidation to exert control over almost every aspect of her life.”

Teodor-Alin Pirvu

A violent rapist who beat and strangled a woman in Rochester was sentenced to almost 15 years in prison.

Teodor-Alin Pirvu subjected the victim to a prolonged and terrifying ordeal, after luring her to his home last year.

Pirvu initially engaged with the woman on 10 April 2023, as she was waiting to meet a friend they both knew and because it was raining heavily, she agreed to follow Pirvu to his nearby home in Rochester High Street while she waited for the friend to arrive.

Once inside, Pirvu’s demeanour instantly changed and after making several demands for sex he punched and kicked the victim repeatedly and wrapped a scarf around her neck and pulled it tight to strangle her.

Pirvu prevented the woman from leaving, warning he would kill her and held knives to her throat and abused her, but she managed to escape after they left the address together, on 11 April and when police attended her home, she was found with visible injuries including bruises, and swelling to her face and head and she was also suffering from hearing loss.

Officers learned the victim had bitten her attacker on the cheek and when Pirvu was arrested, on 13 April, this injury was clearly visible and a search of his home led to the recovery of the scarf and knives he used.

Pirvu, 37, was charged with multiple offences but denied any wrongdoing, but following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, he was found guilty of counts of rape, sexual assault, threats to kill, intentional strangulation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was sentenced to 14-and-a-half year’s imprisonment and was deemed as ‘dangerous’ and must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can apply for parole and when he is eventually released from prison, he will be the subject of an extended licence period of five years.