Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 1034 of 1101

Trainee accountant jailed for Harrogate drug deals

A trainee accountant has been jailed for dealing cocaine and an ecstasy-type drug in Harrogate.

Armaan Ahmad, 24, was arrested after his Audi A3 was stopped by police in April last year, York Crown Court heard.

Officers found 26 wraps of cocaine inside the car, along with six bags of MDMA in powder form, said prosecutor Rob Galley. They also seized £340 from his wallet and a mobile phone with incriminating text messages. Mr Galley added:

“(The messages) clearly show that this defendant was being directed to go to various post codes and addresses or directed to deal (drugs) to certain people.”

They showed that Ahmad’s drugs boss had ordered him to “count what was left” of the drugs and relay the amounts back to him using abbreviations and codes such as ‘P’ for ‘premium’ cocaine, “rather than standard cocaine”, said the prosecutor.

Armaan Ahmad has been sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for dealing drugs in Harrogate

During the phone conversations, they also discussed his “wage” which on the day in question – April 18 – was £100 to deal “party drugs” in Harrogate and Leeds.

Ahmad – whose father runs a highly successful accountancy firm – sold £780 worth of drugs on that day, although he claimed he had only been dealing for two days. Mr Galley said:

“He had to hand matters over to somebody at a mosque in Leeds at the end of the day.”

‘Significant’ role

Ahmad had played a “significant” role as a drug runner or courier, added Mr Galley. The value of the cocaine seized from his car was about £380 but could have been worth a lot more if dealt on the street.

Ahmad, from Leeds, was said to have been very open with police and owned up straight away. He was charged with two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and admitted both charges.

He appeared for sentence on Thursday in an immaculate dark-blue suit and tie, but knowing that jail was all but certain.

Defence barrister Andrew Dallas described his well-spoken client as a “naïve” young man who had come under the spell of others higher up the supply chain. He said:

“He was misled, not realising what he was getting into.

“He’s from an excellent background and his father… is a successful accountant.”

Ahmad had passed his exams at school and found work straight away, but then lost his job after a contract expired and “couldn’t get other work”, said Mr Dallas.

He said this led Ahmad into debt after he took out a pay-day loan. A friend told him he could make “easy money” by drug-dealing and he fell into “temptation”.

‘Working under direction’

Ahmad, of Church Lane, Adel, began driving around the streets at night in “very risky and serious situations, working absolutely under direction and he had to provide a prices account and face (pay) deductions if anything went wrong”, added Mr Dallas.

“He realised he’d got himself into something bad.”

Since his arrest, Ahmad had had a rapprochement with his father, moved back into the family home and started working full-time for his father’s business as a trainee accountant. Mr Dallas said:

“He’s looking to enrol in exams so that he can follow his father into the profession. He’s quite clearly intelligent in some ways and astonishingly naïve in others.”

Judge Sean Morris told Ahmad:

“People are mugging people in the streets for drugs, robbing their own grannies for drugs, and they have to get them from somebody, and (in this case) they were getting them from you.

“This was proper drug-dealing – fortunately nipped in the bud. You did it calmly and coolly and you took part in this filthy trade.”

Jailing Ahmad for 20 months, the judge said he was “ordinarily a decent young man”. He added:

“It beggars belief that you got into this (sort of crime) and I know that the shame you have brought upon your family you will feel acutely.”

Ahmad will serve half of the sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

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From Knaresborough Celtic juniors to Wembley

If Harrogate Town get promoted to the English Football League on Sunday, Jack Emmett will be the toast of the town.

Jack, 26, is the only Harrogate-born player in the squad and has made about 220 appearances.

After unsuccessful trials with Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers – the latter of which said he was too small to make the grade – he didn’t have any great aspirations when he first trained with Town during sixth form at Harrogate Grammar School.

Accountancy was to be his career; football was a hobby. But his life, along with the fortunes of the club, have transformed since then. He told the Stray Ferret:

“Everything was completely different when I joined. The team, the ground, the crowds, the professionalism… we were a bit of a head it, kick it team trying to get out of the Conference North on a grass pitch with a big slope in the corner.

“Every year since then we’ve built on things. It’s incredible really.”

The club’s decision to go fully professional in 2017 was the key moment, said Jack, who started out at Knaresborough Celtic juniors. Town signed several new players and were immediately promoted in 2018 to the National League.

Now they are heading to the most famous stadium in the world for the chance to play in the fourth tier of the English game.

Standing in the way are Notts County, the oldest professional team in the world whose black and white striped kit was copied by Italian giants Juventus.

Ordinarily County would have thousands more fans cheering them on so playing at an empty Wembley could work in Harrogate’s favour, said Jack.

“Most people fancy them to beat us,” he said. “But I like going in as the underdog.”

Midfielder Jack, who has a year left on his contract, was a substitute in the 1-0 play-off defeat of Boreham Wood last weekend. But hot weather and Wembley’s big pitch could see the bench play a big part.

With no fans allowed, his family won’t be there to see it. He said:

“They booked a holiday in Wales so they wouldn’t have been able to make it anyway.”

He also feels for the fans.

“It’s such a shame they can’t be there with us. Hopefully we can win it for them. Having grown up in the town I know how much it would mean to people.”

Harrogate fitness centre responds to craze for new sport

A health and fitness centre in Harrogate has had plans approved to build more padel courts and changing facilities due to increased demand for the sport.

Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre on Hookstone Wood Road offers a range of different facilities including a gym, squash courts, studios and therapy rooms. However, its padel courts are seeing particularly high demand.

The only courts of their kind in the region, they see people travel from Hull, Liverpool and Manchester to play. Padel, a racket sport described as being a mix between squash and tennis, is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

Since reopening the courts on July 4, the Harrogate centre has seen an increased demand from people wanting to use the facilities. The courts are currently booked from 7am until 10pm, seven days a week, until the end of August.

Planning approval has been granted for a new glass-enclosed padel court.

Plans to build another glass-enclosed court along with changing rooms and toilets have recently been approved. The addition will be funded by the centre, the Lawn Tennis Association and Sport England.

James Gaston, general manager at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, told the Stray Ferret that people of all ages come down to exercise:

“The whole point is to try and encourage people to play sports and make exercising cheap for communities. We try and make it so there’s something for everybody here from young people to older people. It’s like a big family.”

The sports centre also has a cafe which serves healthy food and drink.

Leo Campagna, a member at the club who is nearly 80 and plays squash most days of the week, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am nearly 80 and people my age have difficulty keeping fit. When you stop exercising you start to stiffen up and so you have to keep going. I am so glad to be able to play squash again. I come nearly every day of the week.”

No positive coronavirus patients at Harrogate hospital

Harrogate District Hospital has reported no positive coronavirus patients for the first time since the pandemic began.

In more good news, it was also revealed today that no coronavirus deaths have been reported at the hospital for 15 days.

This means the death toll at the hospital remains at 82.

Well done to each and every one of #teamHDFT. pic.twitter.com/zimIENBlfF

— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) July 30, 2020

It is the second-longest time the hospital has not reported any coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began.

Nationally, 12 more patients who tested positive for the virus have died in hospital. None were in the north east and Yorkshire region.

NHS England said those patients who died were aged between 40 and 96 and all had known underlying health conditions.

It takes the death toll in England’s hospitals to 29,329.

Harrogate Town to show play-off final on big screen

Harrogate Town has offered a limited number of fans the chance to watch Sunday’s play-off final with fellow supporters at The CNG Stadium.

The club will show the match against Notts County on a 25 square metre TV overlooking the pitch at Wetherby Road.

Tickets are £35 per bubble. Each bubble can consist of up to six people and the tickets must be collected in advance.

Anyone attending needs to wear trainers. People can either bring their own seating or sit on the artificial grass.

One person per bubble will then be able to collect their ticket from the club office from 11am to 3pm tomorrow and Saturday and 11am to 1pm on Sunday.

Alternatively, tickets can be collected from the courtyard outside the Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday from 10am to 4pm

With coronavirus restrictions in place, fans will not be able to travel to Wembley to watch the game so the screening will be the closest fans will be able to get.

Saint Michael’s Hospice receives royal support for helpline service

A Harrogate charity which has been providing a helpline for NHS and care workers has been given a grant to extend its support to “blue light” emergency services.

Just ‘B’, one of the services offered by Saint Michael’s Hospice, has been providing support for people working on the frontline since April. The service provides bereavement, trauma and emotional wellbeing support to key workers, alongside national charity Hospice UK.

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has granted nearly £1.8 million to charities to support the frontline community. The money will allow Saint Michael’s to extend its support to all emergency service workers for a further two years.

Tony Collins, the Chief Executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice said:

“We are delighted to be able to extend this service to support our colleagues in the NHS, social care sector and emergency services. We know that they have been dealing with some of the most challenging situations imaginable.”

Just ‘B’ is made up of a team or trained and qualified volunteers and staff.

Speaking about the new grant, The Duchess of Cambridge said:

“Over recent months we have all been in awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to COVID-19, but we know that for many of them, their families, and for thousands of others across the UK, the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their mental health.”

The helpline is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.

95 homes at Granby Farm will destroy ‘green corridor’

A residents group has told the Stray Ferret that 95 homes proposed for Granby Farm near Harrogate High School will destroy a vital “green corridor” that connects the Stray to the countryside.

Richborough Estates has submitted plans for 95 homes to be built on the land that is designated for development within Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

In a site assessment produced by HBC when formulating the Local Plan, the council said because the site “is an important part of the green infrastructure network” of Harrogate, any development on the site should maintain 50% open fields — yet plans submitted propose only 25% is kept green.

Gary Walker, from Granby Residents Association, said HBC should refuse the plans on this basis to “create a legacy” for the town.

He said:

“We believe a green corridor needs to be maintained. We don’t feel the current plans address that objective. There’s an opportunity for the council to create a legacy for the town by providing an access route for the Stray through to Nidd Gorge that could be enjoyed by the people of Harrogate.

“People are totally opposed to the proposals. We accept the field will be developed, however we are extremely disappointed the proposal on the table doesn’t meet the council’s recommendation for green space. The council could miss a big opportunity to create a green corridor and help the environment and wildlife.”

Richborough proposes 38 homes will be affordable and 57 will be sold at market rate. All the market rate properties would be either four or five-bedroom houses.

The public consultation for the plans will end on August 14.

The Stray Ferret asked Richborough to comment but it had not replied at the time of publication.

There are several developments in the Kingsley area of Harrogate — which could see over 650 homes eventually built.

Richborough is also the developer for a separate application for 155 homes on Kingsley Road.

Last month it was told by HBC to “go away and rework” its proposals due to overdevelopment. Updated plans will go before HBC’s planning committee next week.

Disability Action Yorkshire’s furniture warehouse to re-open next week

Disability Action Yorkshire’s second-hand furniture warehouse in Harrogate is to reopen on Tuesday.

The warehouse, in Hornbeam Park, sells office and home furniture as well as ornaments, books, DVDs, clothes, games and jigsaws.

The location has been a favourite haunt for TV prop buyers, with items acquired appearing in programmes such as Shameless, EastEnders and Birds of a Feather.

The enterprise not only generates income for Disability Action Yorkshire but also provides retail and customer experience skills for young disabled people.

The warehouse will be open for sales from 10am to 2pm Monday to Fridays. It will also be open for donations from 2pm to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Customers will be required to wear face coverings and observe social distancing measures.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said:

“Since we were forced to close the operation down, we have lost more than £12,000 in revenue – money which would otherwise be used to fund our services to disabled people.”

“We have introduced a one-way system around the warehouse for customers, and there will be regular cleaning, quarantining of all donations, and fogging at the end of every day.

“And whilst we won’t initially be able to collect or deliver items, we will be reviewing this later in the month.”

Harrogate Town manager: ‘Promotion can put us on the footballing map’

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has said promotion to the English Football League on Sunday would make Harrogate known for football as well as tea shops.

Town play Notts County at Wembley on Sunday with the winner playing in League Two next season.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Weaver said playing in the EFL for the first time in the club’s history would be a major boost to Harrogate.

He said:

“It would put us right on the footballing map. We often get the mickey taken out of us saying we’re a town full of tea shops but hopefully we’ll be known for the brand of football and the style we play and that’s the aim of getting in the football league.

Weaver hailed the “amazing” performance of his team last Saturday for beating a physical Boreham Wood side 1-0 in the play-off semi-final at the CNG Stadium.

After not playing since March, the players looked sharp, which Weaver expects to continue into the final.

He said:

“It was amazing that they put on a show after such a long absence. I couldn’t have been prouder of everyone’s attitude.”

Weaver has managed Town for over 500 games — and it will be a sweet occasion to lead his team out on Sunday at the famous Wembley Stadium, despite Town fans being unable to attend due to social distancing restrictions.

He said:

“I’m sure they will be watching and listening where they can but we’ll have them at the forefront of our minds. It’s painful them not being there but we’ll have to focus our minds on the day and do our best for the supporters and make them proud back home.”

A key strength of Town’s squad over the past few years has been its stability: the majority of the team that won promotion to the National League in 2018 are still present and Weaver said if they do get promoted he won’t be making wholesale changes.

He said:

“Either way we won’t rip up what we’ve got. I think we’ll be very competitive should we be lucky and good enough to win on Sunday.

“We’d be looking at boosting the size of squad so we’d probably need two or three players. Defensively we only have four in the squad right now.”

If the game ends 0-0 on Sunday, Town will be faced with a penalty shootout for the first time since 2012 when they were knocked out of the F.A Cup second round by Hastings.

Fortunately, the squad had a penalties expert on hand to come and give them advice before the Boreham Wood game — England manager and Harrogate local Gareth Southgate.

Weaver said:

“I’ve known him for a few years and thought it might be nice for him to talk about his experiences for 40 or 50 minutes. He’s a really nice guy and talked about how they dealt with penalties in the last England tournament.”

Harrogate Town vs Notts County kicks off at 3pm on Sunday and will be shown live on BT Sport.

Travel agents in Harrogate advise against holidays in Spain

Travel agents in Harrogate are advising people not to go to Spain in July or August.

Following a spike in the number of covid cases in Spain, the government announced UK citizens returning from the country would have to quarantine for 14 days.

This has prompted Langford Travel Services in Harrogate to urge people not to go to Spain this summer but instead book for next year on a low deposit.

Michael Langford, who owns the business, told the Stray Ferret:

“As a travel agent I am advising people not to go in July and August. You’ll be worried before you’ve booked it, once you’ve booked it and once you’re in the destination.”

Peter Cookson, managing director of Spear Travels, Boroughbridge told the Stray Ferret:

“We are not selling any holidays to anywhere in mainland Spain or its islands because of the new Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice, the fact that most flights have been cancelled and no one can take the risk on their travel insurance.”

Number One Travel says it is up to customers to decide whether to go to Spain.

However, Keith Butterfield, owner of Number One Travel in Harrogate said it was for customers to decide whether to go to Spain.

“It is very much dependent on the client. If they didn’t have to worry about going into quarantine then it’s their decision to go and we wouldn’t stop them booking. We would talk through the rules and make sure they were aware of the regulations.”

‘Significant’ role

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