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Award nomination ‘a boost’ after a ‘year from hell’
Fringe benefits as festival begins
By Robert Forrester
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ENTERTAINMENT: The ‘Talentz’ were among anumber of acts that kicked off the inaugural TW Fringe this week. See page 4-5
Police chief orders review into cases of violence against women By Richard Williams KENT Police has launched a review of incidents involving ‘women who are victims of any crime’ following a jump in the number of cases being reported. The initiative has been ordered by Chief Constable Alan Pughsley as part of a move to ‘reassure’ victims they will receive ‘exemplary service’ from the force. The Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, had sought assurances from the Chief Constable that the force is dealing with violence against women and girls as a priority. Mr Scott said he was concerned that during the pandemic there has been a rise in the number of domestic abuse
incidents being reported to the police, as well as a rise in stalking and harassment. Since March 2020 when coronavirus first struck the UK, Kent’s Police has seen nearly a ten per cent rise in incidents of domestic violence, with 3,233 more victims coming forward than in the previous year.
‘I’ve asked for a review on the focus of women who are victims of any crime’ The force handled nearly 36,000 reports of the crime in 2020, compared to just over 32,000 reports in 2019. Tunbridge Wells domestic abuse
A TUNBRIDGE WELLS mother of seven has said receiving a business awards nomination was just the boost she needed after suffering ‘12 months from hell’. Emma Pinfold, from Frittenden, has been shortlisted in this year’s Kent Women in Business Awards [KWIBA]. She’s the owner of handbag chain Bond Street To Your Street and says the nomination for Mumpreneur of the Year and the Women in Retail award was just the ‘boost’ she needed after such a ‘torrid year’. Emma, who has three shops in Cranbrook, Rye and Tenterden, sells pre-owned designer handbags, but her stores have been burgled or ransacked on four separate occasions.
Diversify
charity, DAVSS, Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Service] saw an increase or around 400 referrals in the same year, many of which were described as ‘high priority’. During his quarterly Performance and Delivery Board Meeting, Mr Scott raised the issue of domestic violence and other crimes against women with Chief Constable Alan Pughsley. He said: “How would the force assess the topic of violence against women and girls in the country at the moment and what action is being taken to respond to any concerns?” Mr Pughsley replied: “I hope you are
In total, thieves have made off with more than £50,000 worth of her stock. She told the Times: “Covid was bad enough for me as it was for everybody. “I had to diversify and just sell online when the shops were closed, but being targeted four times by thieves is even worse.” She explained that at the start of last year a woman shoplifted a number of bags from her new store in Tenterden. A month later, the same store was burgled, with thieves making off with thousands in designer bags. This was followed by another burglary at her shop in Rye last summer, where she lost more than £30,000 worth of stock, only for her Tenterden store to be hit once more.
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