A Hawkinge man has admitted to stealing from friends and family this week.

Tony Suckling, 27, has been jailed for 8 years after carrying out three raids in three days according to the Kentish Express.

In May, Suckling robbed two petrol stations in Brenzett and Ashford and stole £625 from a fish and chip shop in Hythe.

The robber also admitted to stealing from a friend on two separate occasions and breaking into his brother-in-law’s home to steal a £500 laptop.

Suckling has pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, burglary and making off without paying. He asked for three other charges to be considered.

A learner driver appeared in court last week after being arrested for using his girlfriend’s car without permission or insurance.

The 31-year-old has committed this offence on two separate occasions, the last time resulting in a serious accident with a motorbike.

Ross Haigger from Folkestone has been banned from the road for 12 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Councillors have approved plans to change road layouts around Folkestone Harbour.

It is hoped the changes will improve access to the harbour. Plans will include introducing a contraflow bus service running down Tontine Street and having two-way traffic along the length of Tram Road.

According to the Kentish Express, Kent County Council have assigned £100,000 to the project.

A teenager has been charged with the murder of a 21-year-old man in Maidstone.

Paramedics were called to the scene in Sutton Road at 2:30 am Sunday morning, but victim Tom Crittenden died from a single stab wound.

Caleb White, 19, from Cornwall Close Maidstone, will appear before magistrates today accused of his murder. Four other people who were arrested in connection with the incident have been released on bail.

Mr Crittenden’s parents, Paul and Glenda Crittenden told the BBC:

“Tom, our loving son, brother and grandson will be so missed by his family and close network of friends and colleagues”.

“He was known as a gentle giant by everyone who knew him and he was dearly loved by everyone who knew him”.

Folkestone will see the opening of a brand new toy shop, making it the first toy shop to open in the town in many years.

The Toy Den located on Park Farm Industrial Estate, will offer traditional toys including wooden train sets, doll houses, and puzzles.

The opening hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 5pm.

Two German men have appeared in court accused of trying to smuggle terrorist material into the UK.

The pair, both Muslim converts, were arrested in July at Dover port. 28-year-old Christian Emde and 23-year-old Robert Baum will reappear at the Old Bailey in December to enter a plea. The items seized include a laptop and hard-drive containing information on how to make bombs and destroy buildings.

The trial will take place in February next year.

A driver involved in an accident causing her car to crash with a broken-down lorry, has had a lucky escape according to a fire-fighter who was at the scene.

The accident happened on Friday evening on the A20 Dover-bound carriageway between Hawkinge and Capel. The woman driving a Vauxhall Corsa had to be cut free from her car by emergency services.

She was taken to the William Harvey Hospital but her injuries were not described as serious.

Hythe High Street’s gas works will be finished 10 weeks earlier than planned.

The High Street will be closed from January 2012 until July 2012, and the £140,000 contract was set to take 36 weeks to complete, however, will now take just 26 weeks.

This has given relief to traders, small businesses and the Hythe Festival, whose opening parade was threatened by this work. However, Diana Penhallow from the festival told the Kentish Express that there is still no guarantee that the road will be clear by the time of the parade.

A local petition introduced two weeks ago has attracted hundreds of signatures.

The petition, started by the parish council is opposing plans for a new supermarket in Hawkinge.

Even after Edinburgh Land Estate developers reduced the floor space from 785 square meters to 470, residents are still left worried. According to the Herald, residents are concerned about extra traffic, noise and light pollution and loss of parking spaces.

A woman has been jailed for stealing more than 11 thousand pounds from an elderly woman that was in her care.

Carer Katie Webb, a single mother from Folkestone, has received a nine month sentence after admitting theft and false representation at Folkestone magistrates. She appeared for sentencing at Canterbury Crown Court earlier this week.

According to the Herald, the court heard over 40 offences, including Miss Webb making substantial cash withdrawals and applying for a credit card in the name of the pensioner, while she was in hospital recovering from a stroke. The alarm was finally raised after a letter was found requesting a bill payment.