KentOnline

Questions are being asked today over whether children should be allowed to buy so-called “loot boxes” in computer games.A report by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which is chaired by Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins, has raised concerns about youngsters getting involved in betting.Also in today’s episode, we speak to a family of eight who are living in a tent after being evicted and government documents reveal the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit.
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We’ve been hearing from the mum of a boy who was murdered by someone he met online, as figures show there’s been a 15% rise in child grooming offences reported to Kent Police.According to the NSPCC there were 140 cases in the county in the year to April, and more youngsters than ever before are being targeted through Instagram.Also in today’s episode, a record 86 migrants have tried to cross the English Channel in a single day, Southeastern have extended their Delay Repay scheme, and tributes are paid to a 15-year-old boy found dead in a field.
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Our top story today in today’s KentOnline Podcast is about police who were looking for a wanted Tunbridge Wells man at a London hotel, but instead found almost £1m worth of goods bought with suspected criminal money.
Officers arrested a 55-year-old man on Valentines Day, after finding gold bars, designer watches and 500 hundred lottery tickets.
He’s now been jailed for almost four years for offences, including money laundering.
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A member of the transgender community has said more needs to be done to change attitudes towards the LGBTQ community.
Fiona Johnson, 59, represents Kent for the Beaumont Society, and helps to provide support to members of the transgender community across the county.

Our top story today is about the probation service which manages the most dangerous offenders in Kent – as a report says it requires improvement.
Inspectors have found, on average, officers were managing more than 42 cases each in the county and surrounding region – the highest in the country.
More than half of staff – who manage more than 16,000 offenders – said they felt their work-load was ‘unmanageable’.

As children in Kent return to the classroom after the summer break, it’s been revealed two thirds of parents are worried their kids are spending too much time online.Internet Matters says mums and dads are also concerned about the impact it’s having on their sleep, homework and time spent with family.Also in today’s episode, a community garden is helping to tackle anti-social behaviour and we hear why a crazy golf course at Rochester Cathedral has been such a success.
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A sculpture made out of 100,000 surrendered and confiscated knives is on display at Rochester Cathedral from today.The ‘Knife Angel’ has been described as a national monument against violence and aggression, and it’s hoped it’ll start a conversation about knife crime.Also in today’s episode, leaked government documents are warning drivers could have to wait two days at the port of Dover after a no-deal Brexit, and almost a third of doctors hired to work in Kent hospitals last year came from developing countries were recruitment is banned.
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As Boris Johnson promises to step up talks with the EU to try and get a new Brexit deal, a charity’s warning the migrant crisis could get worse after the UK leave the EU.More than 1,000 people have attempted the dangerous journey across the Channel from France to Kent so far this year.Also in today’s episode, a Medway teenager has spoken out about being sexually assaulted, a beauty queen from Maidstone says pageants have helped build her confidence, and Gillingham are hoping for their first win of the season when they welcome Bolton to Priestfield this weekend.
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Sex education in schools has been a hotly contested issue over the past few years. The UK government has decided that relationships and sex education would become compulsory in all schools in England from 2020.
The current guidelines have not changed since 2000, and don’t take into account a fast-changing world which includes issues such as cyber-bullying, LGBTQ+ issues and consent. 
What does sex education need to look like in schools today? To discuss this we were joined by Anna McGovern who is 18 years old and chair of the Medway Youth Council. Anna is bravely making the issues of consent and sexual violence a person campaign focus, after suffering from sexual violence herself in the past.

There’s growing anger today over Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament in the run up to the Brexit deadline.The Prime Minister insisted it’s so he can set out his new programme for the government, and denies it’s to block attempts to halt a no-deal departure.Also in today’s episode, researchers at the University of Kent say psychological treatment for sexual and violent offenders does work, a woman who used to sleep rough in Dover tells us why she’s cycling to Glasgow and back, and we find out how the weather this summer has improved the quality of Kent’s gin.
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