KentOnline

Hear the moment a teenager who’d killed a man and dumped his body in a wheelie bin filled with acid told police he knew nothing about his disappearance.
19-year-old George Knights from Delce Road in Rochester has been convicted of murdering Stephen Chapman in October last year.
Also in today’s episode, as a report out today reveals we spend more time online in the UK than ever before, a woman has spoken out about how she used the internet to make money during lockdown.
Kaitlin, not her real name, was furloughed from her work and set up a profile on OnlyFans.
Hear from her and our reporter Megan Carr who’s been investigating.
We’ve also been speaking to a social media expert from Medway who says more needs to be done to enforce age restrictions on sites like Facebook and Twitter.
In other news – parents are angry about a decision to close a primary school in a rural part of Medway.
Is Kent set for a mini heatwave?
And hear from Kent cricketer Matt Milnes ahead of their opening T20 Blast game tonight.
 

A Met police officer from Kent has appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard.
Wayne Couzens was arrested after the 33-year-old disappeared while walking home in London in March – hear what happened today at the Old Bailey.
Also in today’s podcast we have an incredible story of recovery.
A Canterbury student was given just a 2% chance of survival following a crash on the M2 – now her sister has spoken about her amazing fight for life as she prepares to leave hospital following a year of treatment.
We have the second part of our chat with the chief executive of the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury as it welcomes an audience tonight for the first time in more than 400 days.
And, find out how our reporter Ollie Kemp got on when he went to a socially distanced punk gig in Tunbridge Wells.

On today’s podcast we’re joined by the chief executive of Kent’s biggest theatre as it prepares to reopen for the first time in more than a year.
The Marlowe in Canterbury closed at the start of the first lockdown and hasn’t been able to welcome an audience for more than 400 days.
Tomorrow the curtain will go up on musical Six in front of socially distanced theatre-goers.
Chief executive Deborah Shaw tells us what it has been like getting ready for this moment.
Also in the podcast, Kent County Council has threatened the Home Office will legal action over unaccompanied child asylum seekers.
Hear from the leader of the authority who says ‘enough is enough’.
And in sport, Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson – who was born in Margate – has been suspended from international cricket while an investigation takes place into historic posts on social media.

A Kent travel agent has said he’s ‘shocked’ by the government’s decision to take Portugal off the UK’s travel green list.
Hear from Chris Scoble from Go Scoble in Tunbridge Wells.
It means anyone who can’t get back from the country before next Tuesday, June 8, will have to isolate for 10 days. Those still travelling there after that date will also have to quarantine when they get home.
Lauren Hampshire lives near Maidstone and has just returned from a week in Portugal, she tells the podcast what it was like.
Also in today’s episode, a bus is being transformed into a travelling supermarket to help those who’re struggling financially.
And it seems like a 20 year campaign for brown tourism signs pointing to Sheppey could rumble on a bit longer.

A group of asylum seekers have won a High Court challenge over conditions at Folkestone’s Napier Barracks.
They took legal action against the Government, with their lawyers calling the camp ‘squalid’.
Public Health England had previously warned about conditions there. We have reaction from Kent Refugee Action Network and a statement from the Home Office.
Also in today’s podcast, Covid testing is being carried out in part of Maidstone after cases of the Indian variant were identified.
We hear from a group of inspirational women in Kent who’ve managed to grow their businesses despite the pandemic.
And Sussex cricketer Ollie Robinson, who was born in Kent and made his debut for England yesterday, has apologised for tweets he sent as a teenager.

A leading headteacher has launched a scathing attack on the government’s plans to help children catch-up after the pandemic.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has pledged £1.4 billion to fund 100 million hours of tutoring for disadvantaged youngsters.
But Alan Brookes, who is chair of the Kent Association of Headteachers, says it doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.
Also in today’s podcast, find out why paramedics in parts of Kent are going to start wearing body cameras.
And we hear how a support dog is helping a little girl from Sittingbourne with selective mutism.

Surge testing is underway in Canterbury following a rise in the number of cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus.
People living, studying and working in two postcode areas are being urged to get checked.
Hear from Kent’s acting public health boss.
We also have the result of a poll asking if you think all Covid restrictions should still be lifted on June 21.
Also in today’s podcast – our court reporter Sean Axtell has been at a new Nightingale court set up in Kent to help deal with a huge backlog in cases.
A Kent charity’s joining a national campaign calling on the government to rethink planned changes to immigration rules.
And we hear from an Ashford teenager who’s trying to raise awareness of cluster headaches. Jordan Rossiter has only just been diagnosed after suffering with them for the past three years.

The government’s being urged to say whether it still intends to go ahead with easing all coronavirus lockdown restrictions on June 21.
It’s as cases of the Indian variant continue to rise – including in Kent.
We’ve been speaking to the acting public health boss in the county about where increased testing is being encouraged and also to Strood GP Dr Julian Spinks about the vaccine roll-out.
Also in today’s podcast, there’s been a big increase in the number of children in Kent needing support for special educational needs.
We chat to an education specialist.
A football league encouraging men to lose weight is expanding to more parts of Kent. We catch up with one of the players from Man v Fat on the incredible impact it’s had on him.
And, a little boy is hoping to raise £5,000 for a support dog – he tells us about his new best buddy.
 

The owners of a soft play centre that has only just been able to reopen say staff are being verbally abused on a daily basis.
Adventure Kidz in Aylesford welcomed back customers last week after being closed for almost an entire year.
Hear from Andrew Moody who says he’s already fed up with how his workforce are being treated by parents.
Also in today’s podcast – there’s more reaction to Dominic Cummings claims about the government’s response to Covid.
Hear from a former special advisor who has been speaking to our political editor.
A week long operation to crack down on county lines gangs has seen a number of arrests in Kent.
And hear from the Leeds Castle swan (yes really) who is celebrating his 30th birthday.

The Tunbridge Wells MP has been questioning the Prime Minister’s former chief adviser about the government’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic.Greg Clark chairs the science and technology which called Dominic Cummings to give evidence – hear what he had to say plus we have analysis from our political editor.Also in today’s podcast, testing has been stepped up at the University of Kent following a rise in Covid cases, including of the Indian variant – hear from students who returned to campus earlier this month.The government is being urged to step in and prevent a university campus in Medway from closing.The new owners of Curious Brewery in Ashford tell us about their plans for the future.And find out which Kent players have been included in the latest England cricket Test squad.