A Thanet district councillor has appeared in court today accused of stealing from a garden centre.

Helen Smith, 52, of St John’s Avenue, Ramsgate is also accused of assaulting Kerry Walker, a member of staff at Wyevale Garden Centre in April last year.

Smith denied charges of stealing £847 worth of goods, assault and driving dangerously in the garden centre car park.

Also charged is fellow councillor Kevan Collins – known as Konnor – who faces a joint charge of shoplifting at the same store.

Collins, 54, also of St John’s Avenue, was too ill to appear at Canterbury Crown Court today.

His lawyer, Phil Rowley, told Judge Simon James his client is in the QEQM Hospital.

The trial was set for September 5 and both were granted bail until then.