DEATH THREATS
45-year-old man appears in court
A man has denied arson and making death threats following a car fire in Maidstone.
Police were called to an incident in Allen Street, Maidstone, at 1.30am on Sunday.
Firefighters also attended, and found a red Hyundai Coupe well alight in the driveway of a twostorey property housing four bedsits on the eastern end of the street. They brought the blaze under control within minutes.
Richard Parkin, 45, of Allen Street, appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with arson, making threats to kill and two incidents of criminal damage, including one alleged to have happened in a police cell where the suspect is accused of urinating.
Parkin denied all four offences. He has been remanded in custody to appear at the same court via video link on Monday.
The incidents allegedly relate to a neighbourhood dispute. Residents reported hearing a bang just before emergency services arrived. The property is operated by Golding Homes with four separate rooms.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said another resident had to move their car to prevent it being damaged by the fire, which also burnt the back of a garden fence. Lawrence Dyas, who lives near the corner with Allen Street and St Luke’s Avenue, said concerns had been raised in the past about the bedsits. He said: “I was woken up by blue lights and I could see the fire brigade couldn’t get around this corner.
“I went and looked out of my back window and I could see the fire. There was a lot of smoke.
“There have been fires out the back of that building before, mattresses and the like, toxic stuff. We have complained about it.”
A spokesman for Golding Homes said it was aware of the situation and would be investigating.
Any allegations of anti-social behaviour can be reported directly to the housing provider on 0300 777 2600 or by visiting its website goldinghomes.org.uk.