The sister of a man brutally murdered by a drug dealer is "devastated" after being told two women who tried to help conceal the crime are appealing their sentences.

Sharna Best, from Sittingbourne, says it is "an insult" and "rubbing salt in the wounds" of a family who has "not yet had time to grieve".

Ms Best's brother, Peter Beale was 39 when he was stabbed to death by Billy Dole back in 2018.

His death followed a drugs deal that went wrong when Mr Beale robbed one of the dealers of crack cocaine, cash and a watch.

His body was found by Rochester Bridge in September of that year.

Billy Dole, 28, pleaded guilty to murder at Maidstone Crown Court in March last year and Levi Webb, 23, admitted manslaughter in December. Both are due to be sentenced in July.

Dole's partner, Rachel Woods and her mum Linda Harris were found guilty of "carefully crafting" the murderer's escape from justice.

As police closed in on Dole, he fled for Turkey, and the pair assisted him in booking flights,

Harris drove him to the airport and the couple switched phones and devised a code when texting one another in an attempt to cover their tracks.

They referred to the killing and his subsequent escape using the words 'wedding' and 'venue'.

Harris was sentenced to three years and five months in prison and Woods to three years and 10 months, after both were found guilty of assisting an offender.

During the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Tristan Kluibenschadl said: "These two offenders knowingly, and willingly, attempted to help Billy Dole escape justice despite knowing he was wanted for a serious offence.

"Their actions showed a complete disregard for the victim, and the pain his family would have been experiencing, and I am pleased we were able to quickly disprove their attempts to hinder our investigation and that they have now faced justice."

But just four months into their jail term, Ms Best has been told by her police liaison officer that the pair are now trying to appeal their sentences.

She believes the hearing will be at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, June 9.

"We are devastated. It is an insult and putting salt in our wounds - we haven't had time to grieve," she said.

"We don't condone my brother's actions on that fateful night but he didn't deserve to brutally murdered.

"All four (Dole, Webb, Harris and Woods) have shown no remorse and during the trial, the women were even laughing at us in the court."

Ms Best says she no longer has any faith in the justice system.

"We feel let down - all we want is justice for what they did to my brother - we haven't been able to breathe, it has just been one thing after another throughout this nightmare," she said.

She feels Harris' and Wood's actions were just as "evil" as Dole and Webb's crimes.

"To try and cover up my brother's murder and send text messages talking about it I think is just as evil," she said.

"Their sentence at the moment in my eyes is a joke and now they're appealing it - how much more can we take? I'm at my wits end."

She is also concerned Dole and Webb will not get long enough jail sentences.

"Stabbing crime has come to an all time high and we need harsher sentences. The law needs to change so people think twice before picking up a knife - they aren't scared any more," she said.

"It would never bring my brother back and never get easier but at least then we'd know that the people that done it will be behind bars and not able to do the same to other families."

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