00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:26I'm Bartholomew Hall. Here are your top stories on Friday the 18th of July.
00:31The depths of danger. RNLI encourages water safety this summer after paddle boarders saved near Whitstable.
00:39So the more that people are aware that while the sea is brilliant fun, it can also be dangerous and needs treating with respect.
00:46Cut off. Southeast water customers now under hosepipe ban after driest spring in 130 years.
00:53You're not allowed to use something that's technically someone's right, which is a bit of water. I think it's a bit not ideal really.
01:00And start your engines. Historic Kent Railway kicks off its weekend gala with several diesel trains that even a reporter can drive.
01:09I would wish myself good luck, but I think the train is already at the station.
01:13But first this evening, a Dartford man has pleaded guilty to murdering a woman who was asleep at her home in August last year.
01:31Anestas Juska was arrested by police after stabbing Nina Denisova, who was a family friend.
01:38He's also admitted a charge of sexual abuse against her.
01:42Well, Finn McDermott joins me in the studio now on a warning.
01:45Some details may be distressing for some viewers, but Finn, just remind us the events of that day.
01:50Well, it's as you say, Bartholomew Juska has now admitted to murdering Nina in her family home.
01:56She was found by the emergency services at that house in Dartford just before seven in the morning on Saturday, August 17th of last year.
02:05It was found she had died after the scene after being repeatedly stabbed, and Juska also admitted to sexually abusing her body.
02:13It was also revealed later he had consumed alcohol the night before and was likely drunk and had also taken cocaine.
02:20That very same day that he committed the murder, Ernestas left the family home, walked to a bus stop and asked a member of the public to call the police, saying he had just killed someone.
02:30Kent police later released that footage, so we can have a look at that now.
02:35And as you saw there, he was arrested and later told police.
03:03He had simply decided to kill someone, but for intentions, he claimed not to know why.
03:08We also heard in that footage there him being asked by the police officer, who have you killed?
03:13And he said, my mum's friend.
03:16After that incident, Henderson Drive was taped off between the junctions of Marsh Street and Cabell Crescent while officers carried out their inquiries.
03:23It's quite chilling stuff.
03:24Of course, he admitted to those charges as well in court.
03:28What do we know now about what might happen next in terms of sentencing and the like?
03:32Well, he's sentenced, sorry, he's set to be sentenced in November.
03:36Currently, as of today, he has pled guilty at Maidstone Crown Court.
03:40Will Bodium from the Crown Prosecution Service said that the service worked closely with Kent police to build the strongest possible case.
03:47With this joint work resulting in today's guilty plea from Jessica to the charges against him.
03:53For unimaginable reasons, he carried out a violent and sustained attack on a woman he knew.
03:59Today, he had no option but to plead guilty to this horrendous act.
04:03He also added, our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Nina at this exceptionally difficult time.
04:09OK, Finn, thank you for those details.
04:12Now, as we enter the summer months, the Whitstable RNLI is warning people about the dangers of paddle boards.
04:19Well, it comes after two men being rescued by the service after strong winds blew them and their paddle boards way out to sea.
04:27Well, with an increase in these types of incidents, Sophie Denny has this report.
04:32You all right, gents?
04:33You all right, gents?
05:03It's traditionally been children in inflatable dinghies and lilos and things that's been the issue.
05:09However, we get far fewer of them now and we get far more calls to sit on kayaks and paddle boards.
05:17The issue with them is they sit on the surface of the sea as opposed to in it and they're very susceptible to being blown by the wind.
05:25Living by the coast, it's easy to become complacent and think that nothing's ever going to go wrong, no accidents will happen.
05:30Unfortunately, they can happen anywhere.
05:32So the more that people are aware that while the sea is brilliant fun, it can also be dangerous and needs treating with respect, that can only be a good thing.
05:41Over 200 people are swept out to sea across the UK each year.
05:45Just behind me, you can see the Isle of Sheppey, where the Whitstable RNLI rescued two individuals who found themselves 300 yards away from the shore.
05:53Last year, the Whitstable RNLI answered 48 calls for help, with 19 of these coming during July and August.
06:06There were 193 accidental water-related fatalities across the UK in 2024, including five people across Kent and Medway.
06:15In windy conditions such as these, it is easy to be blown out to sea.
06:19And with summer upon us, educating children and adults about how to enjoy water safely is a top priority.
06:26We don't want to scare people about going to the beach, not at all.
06:31We want people to understand that it's really great to be by the sea.
06:36Also, we include being by rivers and lakes and things, water anywhere.
06:41It's great to have fun, but so, so, so important to stay safe.
06:46We want youngsters to be aware of a few basic understandings.
06:50Even very young children can understand about tides and winds.
06:55And we always hope that they will take those messages back to their grown-ups.
07:01If you're planning on heading to the beach for some sun, sea and sand this summer,
07:12simple precautions such as watching out for strong winds and visiting a life-guarded beach
07:16will help you enjoy your holidays safely.
07:20Sophie Denny for KMTV in Whitstable.
07:23Well, with safety around water still in mind,
07:26earlier on I spoke with Tom Edwards from Kent Fire and Rescue Service
07:29to discuss more about exactly that
07:31and its upcoming water safety event at Tunbridge Castle.
07:35With the hot weather that we have been experiencing over the last few weeks
07:39and moving into the summer,
07:42we know that people like to get outside and to cool off.
07:46We want people to do that in the safest way possible.
07:49And that means going to places where there are lifeguards.
07:56We've got some really good facilities throughout the county, swimming pools, splash centres, etc.
08:02And we'd really encourage people to go to those facilities rather than go to rivers and lakes,
08:10which are generally not guarded and don't have the safety in place to keep people safe
08:18when they're outside enjoying the sunshine.
08:20And I suppose that demand only increases when it comes to the summer months.
08:23Maybe people haven't heard the warnings in the past
08:26and they think that they're doing something that's fun and enjoyable,
08:29but turns out to be not safe.
08:32Yeah, definitely.
08:33So, obviously, we've got some beautiful beaches
08:37and beautiful outdoor spaces around the county
08:39and we want people to enjoy themselves and to encourage them to be outside.
08:43Our beaches are very well served by colleagues in Coast Guard and the RNLI,
08:48so we'd always encourage people to use beaches which have lifeguards available in them.
08:55But also, across the county, we do have a number of lakes and rivers
09:00and they're not the safest places to be entering the water.
09:05The water can be a lot deeper than people often expect
09:08and also, the water can be a lot colder than you expect
09:12and that puts people at risk of cold water shock,
09:16which is when you enter the water, your body doesn't react as you'd want it to
09:21and can put you at risk of drowning.
09:25Now, Kent Fire and Rescue Service is also hosting an event at Tunbridge Castle
09:28over the next few weeks to share some of the advice that you've been telling me now.
09:32You're also going to be talking about the Make the Right Call campaign.
09:35So, why is it important that people know which number to call
09:38and which emergency service to call when they get into difficulty with water?
09:43So, it is really important that you recognise which emergency service you need to call.
09:47So, as I mentioned before, our colleagues in the Coast Guard,
09:51they have responsibility for tidal waters.
09:53So, if you're on a beach and you see someone getting into trouble,
09:56you're into trouble yourself, then phone 999
09:59and ask for the Coast Guard's assistance.
10:01When you're in inland water, so lakes, rivers, ponds, that kind of thing,
10:07again, if you see someone in trouble or you're in trouble yourself,
10:10phone 999 and ask for the fire service and we can send the people out to help you.
10:15We have the free event at Tunbridge Castle coming up on the 29th and 30th of July.
10:21Water safety event, you can come and see how the fire service operates in water
10:27and what we do to help people when they need rescuing.
10:30Lots of things for children, especially, to get involved with there.
10:35Next this evening, the driver of an Amazon delivery van
10:38who died after a collision with a train in Tenham has been named.
10:42Brandon Hatcher died shortly after 12.45 on Sunday afternoon.
10:46He leaves behind a wife and young child.
10:49The 23-year-old from Ashford is being described by his family
10:51as a kind, funny person who will be missed by all.
10:54They're now calling for learning that will stop this sort of tragedy from happening again.
11:00Meanwhile, British Transport Police has confirmed today
11:02that Brandon's death is not being treated as suspicious.
11:06A car which flipped onto the pavement in Canterbury
11:09has caused traffic delays throughout the city today.
11:13This was the scene following a collision shortly before 11.30 this morning
11:16where a red Peugeot 208 was seen, as it is here, on its roof.
11:20One person reported with minor injuries was treated by paramedics at the scene.
11:26A police spokesperson stated officers have remained there
11:29whilst the recovery of the vehicle has been arranged.
11:34Time for a very quick break now, but coming up,
11:36we'll be hearing more about Kent Police intercepting drugs
11:39that were attempted to be imported from America to the UK.
11:43And we'll be hearing more about the hosepipe ban
11:45which comes into force for many Kent residents today.
11:48All that and plenty more after this.
17:48I'm going to be here.
17:50It's the size of Nathstone.
17:51And I would just remind people that this is about preserving the precious resource of drinking
17:52water that we've got. And we can talk about enforcement and things like that, but really the
17:56message is, you know, we need everybody to work together to reduce demand to make sure we don't see any issues in the environment or with customer supplies.
18:04I went to Snodland, where Southeast Water is based, to speak to the public and found out what they thought about the ban, and whether or not they would tell on a neighbour using a hose pipe.
18:13I suppose it's necessary. We're short of water. It's been the driest time since forever.
18:20So, yeah, we've got to try and save water so we don't run out.
18:25I think if it's causing a health risk to other people and you're not allowed to use something that's technically someone's right,
18:30which is a bit of water, I think it's a bit not ideal, really.
18:34Not ideal, but we just have to get on with it, don't we?
18:37Nah. You know, if the money was invested in the right places, we had the right people in charge, it wouldn't happen.
18:43No. Would you?
18:46No, I wouldn't. Nah. Never been a grass in me life. It's not the way I do things.
18:52Probably not, no. It's none of my business. I wouldn't get an argument with them and if they really need it, they really need it.
18:57It's not yet known when the ban will be lifted, but with another Amber Heat Health Alert announced for Kent,
19:03this ban may not be the last. Otherwise, taps could run dry.
19:08Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Snoddland.
19:12Well, sticking with water and it's all eyes to the skies now because the second storm warning has been issued for parts of Kent with the alert changing from yellow to amber.
19:25Torrential rain and thunderstorms are predicted from 4am to 11am tomorrow.
19:30The alert covers the majority of the county, but excludes places in the east, such as Dover.
19:35You can see on the map on your screen there.
19:38The Wilmette office is warning that the weather could cause significant surfish water flooding, adding that power cuts are likely to occur.
19:45It also says houses could flood and deep flood water could pose a risk to life.
19:50So people would be advised not to travel by road unless essential and stay indoors as much as possible.
19:56So do make sure you are prepared tomorrow.
19:58Well, with that in mind, let's take a look at the rest of the forecast.
20:01All right, this evening, there's still the yellow weather warning in force.
20:10Rain across most of the county.
20:11Highs of 21 degrees in Dartford, lows of 18 in Dover.
20:15As we go towards tomorrow, as expected, heavy rain expected for most of us in the west of the county going into the afternoon.
20:21Temperatures remaining in the low 20s, whilst the west of the county again in, you know, staying rather wet.
20:29And here is the outlook as we go towards the rest of the weekend and next week.
20:34Still staying rainy Sunday, Monday.
20:36Things clearing up by Tuesday.
20:44So, bottom line, not a sunny one this weekend.
20:47Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across the county by logging on to our website.
20:52It's kmtv.co.uk.
20:54There you'll find all of our reports, including this one, about thousands of illegal vapes being seized since the ban on them on the 1st of June.
21:0322,332.
21:06That's how many illegal vapes were seized from shops in Medway since the nationwide disposable vape ban, which started on June 1st.
21:13This was done to mainly tackle underage sales and to help reduce the negative environmental impacts.
21:19While the council have seized hundreds of thousands of vapes from the streets of Medway, has the public opinion changed towards vaping?
21:26I think it's ridiculous, truthfully.
21:29They banned the one-use vapes, which I think is absolutely ridiculous.
21:37If you want to go out and buy one vape alone, just for that night, then it should be allowed.
21:46It's better for the environment, but my attitude was it hasn't really changed.
21:50Vapes are still just as accessible.
21:51I suppose your children might have started vaping this, because most of the shops that now sell refillable ones do ask for ID.
21:58Well, I don't really know much about vapes, but all I know is that vapes can be quite addictive, so if it helps reduce that, then it's a good thing.
22:06Yeah, I used to use disposable religiously, and now I've got a refillable one, and I would say it's better, to be fair.
22:15I would say it's more cost-effective, yeah.
22:16I spoke to Alex Patterson from Medway Council to find out how they felt about the number of vapes seized.
22:22I think you always hope for the best, but fear the worst when there's a change like this that comes in.
22:28Certainly, I don't think retailers could claim not to have been aware of the changes.
22:33This has been telegraphed really well in terms of the legislation and the new rules coming into force.
22:41So, I think it's absolutely reasonable to challenge those retailers who have ignored that change.
22:48If that happens, then there is the opportunity to issue them with a fixed penalty notice, but also to seize that illegal stock.
22:56And I think it's really important that we do that.
22:58The whole point of a change in the rules is that it should have consequences, and I want to see these single-use disposable vapes off our streets.
23:08As it's just been more than a month since the disposable vape ban has come into place, it's clear that these are still early days for its regulation.
23:16This means that we may soon see changes like a cost increase, making the future of vaping a little cloudy.
23:22Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Rochester.
23:25And there's plenty more reports just like that one on our website over at kmtv.co.uk.
23:32Well, finally from us this evening, it's all aboard at the Kent and Essex Railway in Tentadon as they bring out some of their diesel engines dating back to the 80s and 90s this weekend.
23:43Passengers will get a trip down memory lane as well as an actual trip through the Kentish countryside.
23:48And some will get the chance to drive the engines for themselves.
23:52Well, Finn McDermid went down to the platform to see how he would fare.
24:10You might think you've travelled back in time, but we've actually been travelling forward on passenger trains for almost 200 years,
24:17which the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tentadon are celebrating with a three-day gala this weekend.
24:23I mean, we traditionally celebrate the 1930s, the 1950s.
24:27But this year, because it's Rail 200, which is a celebration of the full story of railways,
24:33we fast-forwarded to the late 1980s, 1990s.
24:36It was a day of bright colours, bold colours, fast easels, and trying to reconnect the commuter belt of London.
24:48And Kent was very much part of that.
24:50So it's an opportunity to really travel back in time to the 1980s and 1990s.
24:57And for many of us, that's real nostalgia.
24:59Thumper, Teddy Bear, the Royal Oak, and a freight train are just some of the engines lined up for trips throughout the Kent countryside.
25:06But it's not just the trains that are a new site for the station.
25:09Well, we've got a wide variety of vintage diesel locomotives here today, which is not to everybody's taste.
25:14But for me, as a product of the 1960s and 70s, I love diesels.
25:18And I walked up the road today from the car park, looked in, saw this amazing Network South East Tentadon Town sign,
25:26this fantastic Class 50 mainline diesel engine, sitting here in Network South East livery,
25:31the biggest locomotive we've ever had on the Kenton East Sussex Railway.
25:35And I can honestly say it's one of the most exciting things I've seen all week.
25:38I'll probably need to get out more, but it's absolutely brilliant.
25:41And Murray's old boss on the railways, Nigel, said it was the small engineering details that he loved about the trains.
25:48I mean, although she's not cold this morning because she's been running,
25:51she will give a lovely display as she starts up.
25:54And that's the thing that gets you, and that's why I like railways, and diesel locomotives especially.
26:01But what's more fun than looking at antique trains? Driving one.
26:05I had a quick lesson, and we were off.
26:07Well, I did pass my driving test first time, but driving a diesel locomotive is slightly different.
26:13I would wish myself good luck, but I think the train is already at the station.
26:18Finn McDermott for KMTV.
26:32Looks like he was having a lot of fun there.
26:34You've been watching Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
26:37Plenty more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:39We'll see you on Monday for a brand new Kent Tonight.
