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Wednesday January 9 | 2019
Tunbridge Wells man is accused of killing brother By Andy Tong
A Langton Green man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of his older brother after the pair had an argument while travelling home in a taxi following a night out with family and friends. Carl Eldred is accused of killing his older brother Lee Eldred, from Tonbridge, near Hadlow Manor Hotel on Friday December 28. The 33-year-old father of two from Little Footway in Langton Green appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on January 3 to confirm his name, date of birth and
nationality. Mr Eldred, who runs the Rocket Re Finishing panelbeating business in Plaxtol, appeared by video link from Elmley Prison. The court heard the brothers are alleged to have had an argument in a taxi on the A26 while returning from a night out with friends and family.
A post-mortem revealed that 36-year-old Lee Eldred died from ‘a traumatic blow to the side of the head near the left ear’. Carl Eldred was further remanded in custody and will appear before the same court to enter a plea on January 28.
SUSPECT: Carl Eldred of Langton Green is accused of murdering his brother following a row in a taxi
True cost of commuting means people must earn extra £7,000 for season ticket By Richard Williams NEW YEAR rail fare increases mean that commuters travelling from Tunbridge Wells to London will now have to earn £7,000 a year to cover the cost of an annual season ticket. For higher rate taxpayers it’s more than £8,000. Pressure groups describe it as a ‘rip off’. An average of 3.2% has been added to season tickets, although the true cost of travelling to London is much higher than the price paid to the rail companies. The growing financial pressures of commuting mean an increasing number of people who work in London are now trying to find jobs closer to home. “We are constantly dealing with people who are currently working in London but don’t want to do it any more,”
said Anthony Gerrard White, who runs his recruitment consultancy in Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells. The price of an annual Southeastern pass from Tunbridge Wells to London now sits at £4,792, up £150 compared to last year. For those needing to also use the Underground, buses or DLR to get to and from work, they can expect
to pay more than £5,500. However, the actual cost of getting into London is more than just the price on the front of a ticket, as accountant and director at Tunbridge Wells-based Synergee, Darren Austin, explained. “You need to take into account income tax, employees’ national insurance and, possibly, pension con-
tributions,” said Mr Austin. “Assuming you earn more than the annual personal allowance of £11,850, the rates are 20% tax, 12% NI (National Insurance) and 3% pension. If you earn over £46,350, these change to 40%, 2% and nil for the pension.” He calculated that when income tax and NI (but not pension contributions) are taken into account, commuters wanting to get into London every day have to earn £7,036.71 to cover the cost of a season ticket. This rises to £8,249.93 for higher rate taxpayers. To meet the £4,364 annual cost of travel from Tonbridge to London, season ticket holders need to earn £6,417.65, and higher rate payers, £7,524.14.
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