Kent on Sunday (East), January 17, 2010

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by  KOS Media

K O S
KOS Media award-winning company Free online @ www.kentnews.co.uk
Published by KOSMEDIA LTD Telephone:[phone] IT’S WHAT SUNDAYS ARE ALL ABOUT No.382 January 17,2010 On sale 90p
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BRUTAL FUGITIVE
IS FINALLY JAILED
After years on the run in USA,
EXCLUSIVE
By STEVE KNIGHT
justice at last catches up with
A FUGITIVE who fled to the
United States after savagely would-be killer living in hiding
attacking his estranged wife
and her new partner has this is a very satisfying outcome for us trauma,with Mr Sandhu losing much
been jailed after 13 years on and the victims.The relationship we of the use of his right hand.
built with the American authorities Rana fled the country before police
the run.
had an enormous influence on this could arrest him and,despite believ-
Jaswinder Rana was extradited to case and they were instrumental in ing he had set up home in Paris,the
the UK last year after Kent Police – the success of the investigation. trail quickly turned cold. That
working with the US Marshals “They conducted a lot of research changed when detectives conducted a
Service, and Immigration and and background checks on Rana and review of the case in late 2007.
Customs Enforcement – discovered were able to locate exactly where he Det Insp Moss said:“As the review
the former Gillingham resident had was,which led to his eventual arrest progressed we were able to establish
been living in hiding in a Sikh com- [in March last year]. there was a large Sikh community in
munity in San Jose,California. “For legal reasons Kent Police offi- the San Jose area of California.
This week he was jailed for 14 years cers were not able to be present ,but I “We made contact with the US
after pleading guilty to the attempted am informed he was completely taken embassy in London,which offered us
murder of Amar Sandhu. by surprise that he should be caught enormous assistance and were able to
He was also sentenced to nine years after all these years. find out he was living there under the
after admitting causing grievous bod- “I have the utmost respect for his assumed identity of Suchet Singh.
ily harm with intent to his ex-wife victims because this was clearly a very “It may have been a lucky break,but
Kirpal Rana,in March,1996. difficult offence for them to potentially we had to explore all possibilities
The sentences will run concurrently. have to relive, but thankfully Rana because he could have been anywhere
Speaking exclusively to KOS Media, saw sense and pleaded guilty.” in the world.It turned out to be an
Det Insp Gavin Moss said the hefty Rana,56,attacked his ex-wife and opportunity well worth investigating.”
sentence should act as a warning to her new partner with a “bladed Det Insp Moss also praised the
others that the police will never give instrument”following an angry con- Crown Prosecution Service for the
up on a case. frontation in Kelly Drive,Gillingham, help it gave the police in bringing
He said:“We are very committed to leaving both victims seriously injured Rana to justice.
investigating serious crimes,no mat- and the boyfriend confined to a wheel- Rana was sentenced at the Old
ter how much time has passed,and chair. They both also suffered head Bailey on Friday.
JASWINDER RANA: Behind bars after 13 years on the run

EDITORIAL(cid:2)01303 817100 www.kentnews.co.uk for all the news and sport WEEKENDINGJANUARY17, 2010news I 3
Treatment charge
Bollywood beckons for
SOUTHERN Water has been taken to court
accused of supplying inadequately disinfec-
ted water to areas of Kent.
The company is charged with three
counts of failing to prepare water properly
trio of talented sisters at its Matts Hill treatment works near
Sittingbourne early in November,2008.
A Southern Water representative pleaded
not guilty to all charges when he appeared
before Medway magistrates on behalf of the
company on Thursday,and requested the
By MARIJKE COX trial be heard in front of a district judge.
The bench accepted his request and
[email protected] adjourned the case until January 28,when
a trial date will be fixed.
Should Southern Water be found guilty,it
THREE young sisters look set to hit
faces fines of up to £5,000 for each offence.
the Bollywood big time after being
Race to help Haiti
chosen to star in major film roles
during an X Factor-style audition.
TV CHEF John Burton Race is hosting two
Karishma Lakhani, 16, and her sister
special meals to raise money for the Red
Trishala,14,from Welling,impressed judges
Cross Haiti Earthquake Appeal.
so much at the regional heats of Bollywood
Dinner will be held at Harveys Restaurant
Factor they were immediately signed by a top
in Ramsgate on Saturday,January 23,and
entertainment agency.
there will a lunch on Sunday,January 24,at
The girls are now being considered for
the Dog Inn,Wingham.
major film roles and hope to join the stars of
Tickets are £30 and are available in
Indian cinema, such as 2007 Celebrity Big
advance only.Call 01843 599707 for details.
Brother winner Shilpa Shetty and East is
East star Om Puri.
To see this clip search ‘snow’
Their younger sister,nine-year-old Rushali,
also wowed judges and was entered into the LITTLE GEMS: Sisters Karishma, Rushali @ yourkenttv.co.uk
Bollywood Stage School, run at Honey’s and Trishala Lakhani (above) could follow
Dance Academy – the UK’s top Bollywood in the footsteps of star Shilpa Shetty (left)
dance school.
The academy has produced numerous them to do something they are interested in.” she said.“The aim was to discover the stars of
actors for Hollywood and Bollywood block- Mr Lakhani,who has always been involved tomorrow and offer training, mentoring or
busters, including the Harry Potter films, in acting,hopes they will now have even fur- put candidates forward for roles that we are
Bride and Prejudice, and Indian smash ther scope to develop their talents,which over currently casting for.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum. the years has also included modelling. “I congratulate all those who attended the
It was hailed by the BBC as “the 21st cen- Honey Kalaria, who launched Bollywood auditions even in the adverse weather condi-
tury fame school”and founder Honey Kalaria Factor and the UK Bollywood Dance tions,as this is the kind of dedication and
now has 18 dance studios across the UK – one Championships 2010,has worked with count- passion we are looking for.I am pleased to
of them based in Rochester. less stars, including Beyonce Knowles and say we found a few gems that we feel we can
Deepak Lakhani, the father of the three Craig David as well a host of Bollywood polish and turn into diamonds.”
girls,said he and his wife Vandana are the celebrities.She was named one of the top three Bollywood is the Mumbai-based,Hindi-lan-
“proudest parents on Earth”. Asian businesswomen in the UK and was pre-
guage film industry in India.US film compa-
“My girls can sing,dance and act and they sented with the Best Bollywood International
are all interested in breaking into Bollywood Award for her role in Indian Babu. nies Warner Bros and Twentieth Century Fox Log on to view some of the
an“dT hHeoyl rlyewceonotdly,” dhide as adiadn.ce sequence on a new Mentoring athree ys oa rpeo sseittitvine ga buopu otf ftihcee sf uintu Irned oiaf .Bollywood bKeeanut tcifouvle srceden ine sth we ere ccaepnttu srneodw o f
film by the lady behind Bend it Like Beckham, Ms Kalaria said she launched
Gurinda Chadha, called It’s a Wonderful Bollywood Factor to search for the next
SALE NOW ON
Afterlife,which is released in April.They’ve superstar.She stressed she had looked for
also performed in hundreds of local events students with passion, creativity and
and featured on television shopping channels. stage presence,who could be trained in
“All three of them love performing – it’s a Bollywood and bhangra dance.
part of them.Even though their studies are “I was absolutely amazed to see the
important,I think it is just as important for wealth of talent that we have in the UK,”
Wallinger’s White Horse
is under starter’s order
Russell Hobbs 4 slice
A GIANT sculpture of a white horse set to
Tefal Diamond kettle Retro toaster
dominate the Kentish landscape has cleared
its first major hurdle,writes Steve Knight.
Usual price £49.99 Usual price £41.99
Designed by Turner Prize-winning artist
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Mark Wallinger, the 50ft replica of his
own racing horse Riviera Red will overlook
the Ebbsfleet Valley development at a cost
of £2 million.
The sculpture took a giant step towards
being built this week when a planning appli-
cation was submitted to Gravesham council STRIKING: Impression of the White Horse Krups Citrus
for consideration – less than a year after it independent regulatory board, this is an press
was announced as the winner of a competi- exciting project which has the potential to
tion to find an ‘Angel of the South’. put Ebbsfleet on the map.” Usual price £99.99
Stephen Jordan,chairman of the Ebbsfleet The White Horse,which is being privately Sale price
Landmark Project (ELP), said:“This is an funded by Eurostar, Land Securities and
Rival crock pot
important step on the journey for this ambi- London and Continental Railways,will stand £49.99
tious project and we are pleased to have made prominently at Springhead Park and overlook
Usual price £39.99
so much progress over the last few months. Ebbsfleet Valley and Ebbsfleet International.
“Mark Wallinger has been working closely Mr Wallinger’s design was originally criti- Sale price £24.99
with us and his input has been invaluable. cised by Kent County Council,which wanted
“His concept is a technically challenging the animal to be “prancing”like the Invicta
one,but the response from the ELP team and symbol in the authority’s crest. CANTERBURY’S INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT STORE
founding patrons has been excellent.” However, deputy leader Alex King wel-
Gravesham council leader Cllr Mike comed the judges’ decision to award it the 46-47 High Street, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2SB
Snelling added: “While I cannot pre-judge commission,saying it was the best option of TEL: [phone]
the results of a planning application to our the ones available.
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EDITORIAL(cid:1)01303 817100 www.kentnews.co.uk for all the news and sport WEEKENDINGJANUARY17, 2010news I 5
Money-making
Potholes are
By STEVE KNIGHT
weight-loss plan [email protected]
is to be extended COUNTY Hall is bracing itself for a
torrent of compensation claims
‘thaw’ point
linked to the hundreds of potholes
A CONTROVERSIAL scheme that pays fat
people for losing weight is to be extended forming on Kent’s roads.
following an “overwhelming” response to its Motorists forced to pay out for puncture and
Kent-based pilot. suspension damage repairs are expected to flood
The Weight Wins project – which is current- the council’s mailbags with demands that the
ly being trialled by NHS Eastern and Coastal authority should foot the bill,at a potential cost to as KCC faces
Kent – offers patients up to £1,750 over two the taxpayer of tens of thousands of pounds.
years to encourage them to diet and exercise. The lengthy cold snap has left many of the
The scheme is run by a private company and county’s major routes in a state of disrepair,with
was one of several weight-loss ideas trialled by the potholes creating yet another hazard for road-
the NHS over the last year. users already long fed up with the snow and ice.
Founder Winton Rossiter said that 2,300 Earlier this week Kent County Council was
people applied for 400 places on the pilot when forced to pay out £6,250 to Welling resident driver claims
it was launched a year ago, and that the Kenneth Atkinson,who suffered a badly dislocated
response had convinced him to extend the ini- shoulder after falling from his bicycle in May,2007.
tiative and allow people to sign up privately. The 76-year-old has since been forced to give up
He said:“We are offering new hope to dieters. his hobby following the pothole encounter,which
Most people know how to lose weight,but they the council initially denied liability for.
fail to maintain their weight loss because of a Mr Atkinson’s lawyer Paul Kitson said:“This Picture: BRIAN HOLMES
lack of motivation. case illustrates the difficulties in obtaining com-
“Providing a structured financial incentive pensation from highway authorities.
programme is the key to helping our partici- “They rarely admit liability for accidents involv-
pants develop healthy lifestyles for the long ing road defects and it is usually necessary to
term and to losing weight and keeping it off.” issue court proceedings.In this case Mr Atkinson’s
Under the basic scheme,the dieter pays a claim was delayed as a consequence of arguments
one-off registration fee of £45 and a monthly between KCC and its third party contractors
rate of £10,while a higher plan costs £90 reg- (Scotia Gas Networks).”
istration with a £20 monthly payment.If the “His injuries have affected his quality of life.”
dieters lose weight to agreed targets, they The severity of the pothole problem became
start to receive payments from Weight Wins. clear on Tuesday when at least eight drivers had
Despite Mr Rossiter’s enthusiasm over the to pull over on the M20 after suffering punctures
supposed success of the project,a spokesman to their tyres as a result of a particularly deep one.
for NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent said the Workmen closed two lanes of the London-bound
results of the pilot would not be analysed until carriageway while temporary repairs were carried
after it finishes next month. out,causing a five-mile tailback during rush hour.
He added it was one of a range of initiatives
Jurisdiction
the primary care trust was examining to com-
bat the rising trend in obesity. Motorways are the responsibility of the
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley Highways Agency,but hundreds more potholes WHITE OUT: Many roads have been left damaged by potholes due to the cold snap
told KOS Media last year he was “sceptical” have also formed on the other main,
about using taxpayers’ cash to reward people side and rural roads that do fall within
for dieting. KCC’s remit. SALE
Tory councillor A section on the council’s website
makes it clear that a motorist has no
automatic right to compensation, and BIG WINTER
is a kerb crawler that there must be clear evidence the
council has been negligent in its role as a
highways authority.
TORYcouncillor Nick Brice has been expelled It reads:“KCC has a duty to take rea- at the home of fine quality furniture...
from Medway Conservative Group after he sonable steps to maintain the highway
was caught kerb crawling. network within its jurisdiction.
The Rochester South and Horsted represen- “However,it is accepted in law that the
tative,64,of Maidstone Road,Chatham,was highway network cannot remain in a
thrown out of the party by Medway Council perfect condition at all times and that
leader Rodney Chambers. KCC should not automatically be held
Brice was arrested on November 2 last year liable for all highway-related incidents.
on suspicion of kerb crawling in Rochester and “The fact a defect may have developed High Street Rainham ME8 7JH
accepted a conditional caution from police. within the highway network and caused Bedding Centre Orchard St Rainham ME8 7JH
Cllr Chambers said:“The Conservative Group someone to suffer damage to their vehi-
SAVE High Street Sittingbourne ME10 4AY
on Medway Council believes all elected mem- cle does not in itself mean KCC is liable
Retail Park Sittingbourne ME10 2XB
bers should demonstrate and uphold the high- to pay compensation.” £286
est standards in public office and public life. For more information about making a
“A serious matter has arisen concerning Cllr claim,visit the roads and transport sec- SAVE
Brice’s private conduct outside of the council tion of www.kent.gov.uk and click on £314
and the Conservative Group has taken the ‘fault reporting’ followed by ‘claims for
decision to expel Cllr Brice from membership damage’.
of the group with immediate effect.” • See pages 6-7 for more on the problems
Kent firefighters caused by the snow. (above)
Sherborne Bergen
in leather or fabric
in disaster zone To see this clip search ‘iPhone’ manual/powered SAVE
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Rescue emergency workers flew out to Haiti’s
Starts Sun 27th Dec 10am
capital Port-au-Prince on Wednesday.
An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter
scale struck the island on Tuesday evening.
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66I newsWEEKENDINGJANUARY17, 2010 www.kentnews.co.uk for all the news and sport ADVERTISING(cid:2)01303 817000
It may look magical, but after weeks of heavy snow and treacherous conditions
NHS relief at
break in the
icy weather
FROZEN CITY: Dane John Gardens in
By MARIJKE COX
Canterbury, and this robin redbreast (inset,
[email protected] right) were pictured by Oliver Mannion
weather worsened, forcing health chiefs to
HOSPITAL admissions during
issue guidance on the most appropriate serv-
the cold snap almost doubled as ices to use so as not to swamp A&E. public health at NHS Eastern and Coastal
people struggled to cope with icy South East Coast Ambulance Service Kent, encouraged people to use different
declared a major incident and medical staff at health services,such as GPs or walk-in cen-
footpaths and Arctic conditions.
some of the county’s hospitals stayed at work tres, to ease the pressure on hospitals. He
Accident and emergency departments were overnight to make sure they were available stressed that A&E should be reserved for crit-
inundated with broken bones and fractures for shifts the following day. Routine opera- ical or life-threatening situations.
as hundreds of residents slipped and fell on tions were also put on hold to give priority to “People who inappropriately use the ambu-
the county’s pavements. those who required emergency surgery. lance service and A&E departments for non-
And despite the break in the freezing Over five days, A&E departments in emergencies are diverting resources away
STREET SCENE: Simon Ralph of Lympne
weather,roads and footpaths in some parts of Ashford and Margate saw 1,875 people and a from those who may be in desperate need of
Kent were still covered in ice and compacted submitted this shot of snow falling further 615 attended the emergency care cen- care and urgent attention.”
snow this week,keeping up the pressure on to bad breaks and,in some cases,surgery. tre at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Mr Scott-Clark added that the cold weath-
the NHS. Some elderly residents were also admitted In total, NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent er was especially dangerous for the elderly or
While slippery pavements have led to com- to hospital suffering respiratory problems recorded a 40 per cent rise in the number of people with serious illnesses and it was vital
ical stumbles over the last few weeks,it was due to the low temperatures. minor injury attendances. that resources were available for them.
no laughing matter as more serious falls led Pressure on hospitals mounted as the Andrew Scott-Clark, deputy director for In Medway, record numbers of patients
MORE than £1.5 million is to be spent on county saw heavy snowfall.This was on top of
Two months of work and
highway repairs after heavy snow and freez- the usual day-to-day maintenance budgets.
ing temperatures left huge potholes in many Kent Highway Services identified £576,000
of the county’s roads. for this winter,but after the severe weather
The funding will be in addition to £3m set £1.5m for pothole repairs over the last three weeks, the total has
aside in Kent County Council’s annual budg- increased to more than £1.5m.
et to fix potholes.Repairs are needed across Work will begin in March and is expected to
many of Kent’s roads,damaged by what is run until May.KCC is planning to put the
known as a ‘freeze thaw’. Tuesday,when at least eight drivers had to Cllr Carter said:“We have had a sustained work out to tender, focusing on small and
This is when water and snow seeps into pull over on the M20 after suffering punc- spell of severe weather that will cause consid- medium-sized Kent firms.
gaps,then freezes and expands,cracking the tured tyres after hitting a deep pothole. erable damage to our roads. Despite a lull in the arctic weather, salt
road surface as it does so. Two lanes of the London-bound carriage- “We have been planning how we will tackle stocks are being replenished by KCC.
County Hall could also face claims for com- way were closed for temporary repairs,caus- the pothole problem so we can provide the A spokesman said:“At the beginning of the
pensation from hundreds of motorists who ing a five-mile tailback during rush hour. best service.We are increasing our budget by winter we ordered a stockpile of 20,000
have suffered punctures and damaged sus- The funds – which will come from any at least £1m to get Kent’s roads repaired.” tonnes which was used during the prolonged
pension to their cars.KCC leader Cllr Paul underspend in the authority’s budget – are in Last winter, an extra £500,000 was set period of freezing weather.We made 30 salt-
Carter announced the extra funding as the addition to an extra £576,000 reserved for aside for frost damage between January and ing runs before Christmas and 30 runs since.
severity of the situation became clear on repairs this winter. March,caused mostly in February when the The stocks are now being replenished.”
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EDITORIAL(cid:2)01303 817100 www.kentnews.co.uk for all the news and sport WEEKENDINGJANUARY17, 2010news I 7
Kent counts the cost in damaged roads and extra pressure on A&E departments
were seen during the snowy conditions,which Unsung heroes
first hit Kent a week before Christmas.
In just five days 250 patients attended acci-
dent and emergency with fractures and are our first
sprains from slipping or falling. Jacqueline
McKenna,director of nursing at Medway NHS
Foundation Trust, said: “Many of these line of defence
injuries required manipulation and surgery.”
But she added that,
despite the disrup-
FARMERS who spent days clearing snow
tion,staff made sure
from some of Kent’s busiest roads say
it was business as
motorists are too quick to criticise when the
usual.
weather turns bad,writes Steve Knight.
“Many staff stayed
While it is the Highways Agency’s respon-
at the hospital
sibility to grit the motorways and Kent
overnight to ensure DIGGING IN: Kent’s farmers are crucial to
County Council’s to ensure other main
they were available routes are protected,it is the county’s farm- the county’s snow clearance efforts
for their shifts,” she
ers who have perhaps the most difficult task from the Isle of Sheppey, down into
said.
of all in ploughing roads free of snow in the Maidstone and along the North Downs as far
Health services in
first place. as Lenham.
the west of the coun-
Michael Gallacher, who runs the GCS Andrew Martin – a partner of Romney
ty also felt the pres-
Group plant hire company from Woodstock Marsh Farms – has responsibility for the
sure,with some clini- RURAL IDYLL: Oast house in the snow was
Farm in Sittingbourne,told Kent on Sunday nearby village of Burmarsh, as well as
COLDPAWS: Buttons cal staff staying at captured by Sheila Wellstead of Blackham his role in the operation started on Brabourne and Hastingleigh,near Ashford.
the cat in Maidstone work overnight. The Wednesday,January 6,and did not stop until He said:“What concerns me is the council
A&E departments in
Sunday night. doesn’t realise how much it relies on us,
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells dealt with
He added:“The farmers who do this sort of because it’s people like Michael and I who
325 fractures caused by slips between
thing work extremely hard and for very poor know which roads need to be cleared first
December 18 and January 10. This was an
money from KCC,and I don’t think the pub- and which parts drift over first.
increase of 184 compared with the same peri-
lic realises what goes on behind the scenes. “Last Saturday night I was ploughing until
od last year.
Darent Valley Hospital’s A&E department “People are very quick to run the council midnight and was up again at 4am.
saw a 10 per cent rise in attendances,with down.Don’t get me wrong,they’re far from “I know the council works hard to keep the
4,258 people passing through its doors. perfect,but all I know is we work on behalf roads safe, but I can’t imagine their staff
Sharon Jones,director of resilience planning of them and we work our socks off. would work those sorts of hours.”
at NHS West Kent,said:“It is not just the clin- “If we all decided we didn’t want to do it, KCC employs 180 farmers across the coun-
ical staff, but also our receptionists, cooks, Kent would grind to a halt.We spent last ty to help with clearing snow, but Mr
cleaners and drivers, for example, who are Wednesday night towing vehicles up and off Gallacher says they aren’t in it for the money.
coming in to ensure we can continue to offer Detling Hill with our tractors,but KCC does- He said:“Partly it is in our own interests,
the services to those who need it.” n’t have the equipment to do that.” because a lot of us have livestock and need to
South East Coast Ambulance Service record- CHILLEDOUT: Dougie the snowman, made Mr Gallacher revealed that every farmer get milk supplies and tractors out,but we’re
ed a 37 per increase of calls over two days and by Zak Francis (10), Charlie Francis (13) and who agrees to help plough the roads is given also part of the rural community and want to
a 20 per cent rise in accidents. mum Moira Mitchell, from Maidstone a specific area to target,with his stretching do our bit to help.”
88I newsWEEKENDINGJANUARY17, 2010 www.kentnews.co.uk for all the news and sport ADVERTISING(cid:2)01303 817000
NHS reveals cost of binge boozing
By MARIJKE COX culture, which is thought to be fuelled by policies in the whole of the South East.
cheap supermarket booze. Dr Alison Milroy, of Bearsted Medical
[email protected] In Kent,alcohol-related hospital admissions Practice in Maidstone,called for people to sign
are in the thousands,with medical staff deal- it:“As GPs,we see the damage alcohol does.
HEALTH chiefs are backing gov- ing with a variety of cases including broken “I am therefore pleased to see the focus of
bones,head injuries and,in worst cases,liver the Big Drink Debate manifesto.It recognises
ernment plans to stop cheap booz-
disease from excessive drinking. the range of health problems to which,as GPs
ing in the hope it will stem the Damage well know,alcohol can contribute.
thousands of alcohol-related hospi- “Measures such as enabling adults of all
The county’s health bosses have commended ages to be more aware of alcohol-related
tal admissions seen each year. ministers’ plans on price-fixing and launched health issues and helping employers develop
Their support came this week as ministers a manifesto as part of the NHS Big Drink appropriate and supportive policies are all
worked on a controversial price-fixing scheme Debate campaign to curb binge-drinking. important ways to address the problems asso-
where consumers could be forced to pay a min- Residents are being urged to sign up to the ciated with excessive drinking.” HIGHSTREETHELL:Binge drinking is a
imum of 50p per unit of alcohol. manifesto to try and help tackle the mounting In 2007-08,5,036 people were admitted to common sight at weekends across Kent
Health secretary Andy Burnham believes it number of alcohol-related issues. hospital in West Kent through the accident and ed admissions through accident and emer-
would put a stop to Britain’s binge-drinking The results will feed into future alcohol emergency department for booze-related con- gency was 7,798 in 2008-09.This figure has
ditions.In 2002-03 the figure was 2,262. risen by 1,803 in just two years.
The number of hospital admissions for Across the whole South East Coast region,
conditions partly attributable to alcohol including Kent, the figure stands at 39,603
consumption in 2007-08 just in the West cases for 2008-09,according to the South East
Kent area was a staggering 15,745. Coast Strategic Health Authority.
Linda Prickett,NHS West Kent’s public The recent MPs’ report stressed there should
health specialist,said:“The total cost of hos- be a minimum pricing for alcohol, health
pital admissions in 2007-08 was estimated warnings on bottles,and a tax rise on spirits.
at £500,000 for conditions entirely caused
Regressive
by alcohol abuse and £2.9 million for condi-
tions partially attributable to alcohol. A spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale
“These represent only a proportion of the said this will benefit pubs which are in compe-
total healthcare costs as they exclude A&E tition with cheap supermarket pricing,as well
attendance, general practice, outpatients as targeting the problem of binge-drinking
and community services.” But plans have also come up against opposi-
In Medway, 2007-08 saw 3,983 booze- tion,with some saying moderate drinkers will
related admissions,although Aeilish Geld- suffer if changes take place.
enhuys,Medway’s NHS senior public health Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley
manager,said they are seeing a drop. said:“This is not the way to tackle binge drink-
“We believe the action being taken will ing.It would be deeply regressive and would
further address these problems,”she said. raise taxes on the least well off in society while
“Binge drinking is always dangerous and the rich would be unaffected.”
the recommended intake for women is 14
Find more news and sport updated daily online
units a week and 21 for men.”
www.kentnews.co.uk
In East Kent,the number of booze-relat-

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