Dartford woman Michaela Sargeant appears at crown court charged with murdering Kevin McKinley in street shooting
Kevin McKinley died after
being shot in the street in Dartford
by Keith Hunt
A woman accused of shooting dead a father-of-three in Dartford
last week made a brief appearance at Maidstone Crown Court
today.
Wearing a dark cardigan and white blouse, Michaela Sargeant
spoke only to be identified and to acknowledge she understood the
proceedings.
The 24-year-old, of Overy Street, Dartford, is charged with
murdering Kevin McKinley, 32, of Louvain Road, Stone, on February
12.
Her boyfriend, Lewis Wickenden, 25, of the same address, has
been charged with assisting an offender, possessing a firearm - a
semi-automatic single-barrel shotgun - and possessing ammunition -
shotgun cartridges.
Prosecutor Martin Hooper said of Wickenden, who was not in
the dock with Sargeant: "He is not currently charged with murder.
He is technically bailed for that. He is facing allegations in
connection with the gun. That is under review."
Sargeant was remanded in custody until April 19 when she will
enter a plea.
Judge Philip Statman was told there was no indication of a plea
at present. A provisional trial date was set for August 5.
Mr Hooper said it was intended to join both cases. Wickenden,
who is due to appear at Medway Magistrates' Court on
Friday, is also being held in custody on the charges he
currently faces.
Mr McKinley was shot in Merryweather Close, Dartford, last
Tuesday night. He was taken to hospital, but surgeons could
not save his life.
The judge was told Mr McKinley's sisters and a brother were
present in court.
Police at the scene of
the shooting in Dartford and (below) the scene the following
morning
Among the messages attached to dozens of floral tributes at the
scene of the shooting was one from Mr McKinley's mother.
It read: "RIP my baby boy, Kev. From Mum and Andy xxx."
Another said: "RIP Kev boy. You was a diamond geezer. You will
be missed by everyone."
One of Kevin's friends Bradley, 19,
who joined other friends in laying flowers at the scene said: "He
was liked by a lot of people. I've not heard of a shooting in
Dartford before.
"Had it been any other kind of fight
he would have had a chance of winning but you've got no chance when
someone comes at you with a gun."
Flowers left at the scene
of the shooting in Dartford
Police had last week been guarding the house where Mr
McKinley lived in Louvain Road, Stone.
Neighbour Raymond Baker, 55, said: "I wasn't good
friends with him, but knew him well enough to say hello in passing
and he always seemed very nice.
"My daughter's boyfriend was friends with him and they got on
well.
"There's been quite a few big arguments outside his house with
various people and I once saw him get punched in the face, but I
know he was a traveller and I never got overly involved.
"Sometimes Kevin would go away for months on end and we wouldn't
see him; I never knew where he went.
"We often invited him to barbecues but he never accepted our
invitation."
Police throw cordon
around house where Kevin McKinley lived in Stone
18/02/13