by Nicola Forman

THE owner of a motorcycle shop believes the sentences handed down to four men who raided his business were too lenient.
Steven Partridge spoke out after the jailing of a four-man gang who targeted K&S Racing last October.
He said staff members Paul Arnold and Alex Kingsley, who were at the Milton Road-based business when the robbers burst in, are still traumatised.
Maidstone Crown Court heard Londoners Michael Stephenson, 21, Olawale Korodo, 18, Francisco Domingo, 18, and Wasim Bramble, 17, burst in brandishing a knife.
The gang tied the staff up and held a delivery man captive before fleeing the store with stolen motorbikes in the back of a van, only to be caught by police on the outskirts of Maidstone.
Stephenson was jailed for five years and three months, Korodo and Domingo were each sentenced to four years and nine months in youth custody and Bramble to four years in youth custody.
Stephenson, Korodo and Bramble admitted robbery, while Domingo denied the charge, claiming he was acting under duress. He was convicted of robbery and possessing a weapon.
At the trial, Judge Jeremy Carey described the robbery as “a serious, planned enterprise, which has had an appalling impact on the victims”.
Mr Partridge said: “I was hoping they would get a bit more, what they did was awful.
“The staff haven’t been great since it happened, one of the guys still works here but can still get really jumpy whenever someone opens the door quickly. The other guy couldn’t get his head round it and has gone off round the world for three months.”

Police praise

PC Chris Hamper, who led the pursuit of the van along the A249 towards Maidstone, has applauded the actions of the shop’s staff.
He said: “This was a truly horrendous ordeal for them, but their bravery and speed in raising the alarm meant that we had the best possible chance to find and stop these offenders.
“I was pleased that I was in the right place at the right time, and with the help of my colleagues was able to bring these violent criminals to justice.”
Det Ch Insp Nick Gossett, who led the investigation, added: “I am pleased that the court recognised the seriousness of this robbery, the planning and violence involved and the impact this has had on the victims.
“Due to the quick thinking of the shop staff and the initiative of PC Hamper, we were quickly able to catch them.
“I hope this will deter other criminals from coming into Kent and trying to commit crimes.”