Harrogate man spared jail after hammer attack over barking dog

An argument over a barking dog led to a man being hit over the head with a claw hammer in a street in Harrogate.

The victim was attacked near Harrogate town centre by 31-year-old Maciej Rataj who struck two or three blows with the DIY tool, York Crown Court heard.

The victim fell to the ground and was stamped on by Rataj, who had crept up on him from behind. 

Prosecutor Andrew Finlay said witnesses called police and helped the victim, who was taken to hospital with cuts to his scalp and lip and a swollen and bloodied nose.

The man was named in court but the Stray Ferret has decided not to reveal his identity. He was advised by hospital staff to have a CT scan but discharged himself without being X-rayed.  

Rataj was soon arrested but lied to officers that he had acted in self-defence and used an umbrella to attack the victim. 

He admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and appeared for sentence on Wednesday.

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Mr Finlay said the incident occurred on August 2 last year when the victim was walking past Rataj’s home in Nydd Vale Terrace and heard his dog barking.

He told the dog to “shut up”, which was heard by Rataj who retorted as the victim walked off.

Mr Finlay added:

“(Rataj) armed himself with a hammer and followed (the victim), together with a friend he was with, before catching up with him and attacking him with (the) hammer.”

Witnesses saw Rataj “change his grip” on the hammer as he approached the victim from behind. He then struck the victim with “two-to-three blows” to the head while he was laid on the ground.

Mr Finlay said:

“(The victim) was also stamped on by the defendant.

“One of the witnesses said it was to the stomach.”

He said it was a “sustained” attack and that Rataj had followed the victim for “some distance” before attacking him. 

Andrew Stranex, acting for Rataj, said his client, a Polish national, had never been in trouble before and was a hard-working man.

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Merited a jail sentence

Recorder Anthony Hawks said although the offence was so serious it merited a jail sentence, he could suspend the inevitable prison term because Rataj was of “hitherto good character” and had an “impressive” work record since arriving in the UK with his wife and family four years ago.

He told Rataj: 

“You live in an area with a significant amount of anti-social behaviour. You overreacted when someone started shouting at your dog. 

“You lost your temper, armed yourself with a hammer, ran after the man and hit him two-to-three times, causing fortunately minor injuries to his head and face. 

“I don’t know what came over you. You are very lucky that you are not facing a more serious charge. Hitting people in the head with a hammer can have fatal consequences.”

The 12-month prison sentence was suspended for two years, during which time Rataj will be supervised by the Probation Service. 

He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and complete a 15-day rehabilitation programme. 

Stockeld Park’s dinosaur attracts attention in Harrogate

Stockeld Park publicised its latest attraction today by letting a dinosaur loose in Harrogate’s town centre.

Rita the raptor got alot of attention outside Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms on Parliament Street.

The dinosaur was out in Harrogate today to promote Stockeld Park’s “Jurassic Summer” .

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There are five adventure playgrounds, a dinosaur forest, a dinosaur maze and brand new for 2021, jurassic mini golf.

Stockeld Park events manager Darren Smith told the Stray Ferret:

“Rita the raptor escaped last night. We just managed to track her down just outside Bettys queueing up for a coffee, of all places.

“We have got her under control now. Rita seems to love it here in Yorkshire and is just trying on a flat cap now.

“It’s for our jurassic summer. We are going to have dinosaurs there every day. All the usual things at Stockeld with a jurrasic twist.”

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Jurassic Summer runs to September 6. Book tickets for £12 per person here.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning. It’s Connor with you this morning updating you every 15 minutes on how the transport links are near you.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, will show you where the traffic hotspots and temporary traffic lights are and tell you of any train and bus delays.

Let us know if you experience any delays on 01423 27619.

9am – Full Update 

That is all from me this morning. I am heading over to the news desk now but will be back tomorrow from 6.30am.

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to become busy this morning around the following areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning but keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

Viper Rooms owner: Young people in Harrogate can ‘celebrate life’ again

The owner of Harrogate’s only nightclub, The Viper Rooms, has welcomed the government’s announcement that nightclubs will finally be able to reopen on July 19 without masks or social distancing.

Paul Kinsey told the Stray Ferret that he is looking forward to reopening but added he was still skeptical that the reopening plans won’t be delayed again.

He also sympathised with young people in Harrogate who he believes have suffered over the past 18 months and said having a nightclub again will give them a chance to “celebrate life” again.

He said:

“I think it’s a great outcome if it actually goes ahead.”

“It allows all of the 18 to 25-year-olds who have suffered the most in terms of lost education, lost jobs and lost leisure the opportunity to do what they love most….celebrate life!!”

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The club has been one of the hardest-hit businesses in Harrogate since the covid pandemic hit. It’s been closed indefinitely since March 2020, except for one night on Halloween.

Mr Kinsey was looking forward to reopening on June 21 until the government decided to delay the easing of lockdown restrictions for another month.

It meant the nightclub had to put its plans on ice.

He called on the government to offer a package of financial support to the nightlife sector in a previous Stray Ferret article.

A covid-19 leaving drinks party will now take place on July 19 at 10pm.

Harrogate International Festivals apologises for lack of diversity

Harrogate International Festivals has issued an apology for not including any female writers of colour in its 2021 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

The prestigious four-day festival takes place this month at the Old Swan in Harrogate.

Many leading crime writers, including Pointless star turned best seller Richard Osman, Mick Herron, Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves are due to attend and events take place across the four days.

But the lack of diversity among the line-up attracted criticism, which prompted Harrogate International Festivals’ programming committee to post on Twitter:

“It has been brought to our attention that our 2021 crime writing festival programme contains no female writers of colour. It should not have been necessary for this to be pointed out to us.

“We work hard on diversity at the crime writing festival but, although there have been many unique challenges this year, we got this wrong, and we apologise.

“We will be examining our planning processes, changing our practices — including expanding our programming committee — and working hard to make sure it never happens again in future years.”

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The apology prompted writers A A Dhand and Abir Mukherjee, who were invited to this year’s festival, to release a joint statement, which said:

“We are pleased that the concerns raised over this year’s Harrogate festival programme containing no female writers of colour have been recognised and that constructive conversations have taken place resulting in a welcome change in policy for future literary festivals.”

Their statement added that “Harrogate has always been at the forefront of championing new voices, so the commitment to changing practices and widening the diversity of the planning committee is a very welcome step.”

They added they recognised diversity and inclusion were tricky subjects and that problems were not specific just to the Harrogate festival.

The festival’s crime novel of the year award carries a £3,000 prize.

 

Bogus roofers attempt to scam Harrogate’s elderly

Police today issued a warning about a spate of bogus roofers targeting elderly and vulnerable residents in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement it was investigating whether three Harrogate incidents were linked to other suspected scams in Wetherby and Middlesbrough.

It said:

“Typically, in cases like these, a bogus tradesperson will cold call a victim by turning up on their doorstep unannounced and offering to clean their guttering for a small sum.

“However, the trickster will claim to the victim that they have found extensive damage to their roof requiring immediate attention.

They may even show the victim rotten wood and felt, convincing the victim that it has come from their roof. In reality, the rotten wood and felt will have been brought in by the roofer as part of the elaborate deceit designed to con the victim into agreeing expensive and unnecessary roofing work that they don’t need.”

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Officers urged people not to accept work by cold callers or let themselves be pressured into agreeing to have work done.

They also asked people to to keep an eye on elderly or vulnerable family members, as fraudsters preyed on the most vulnerable.

If you want to report an incident involving a rogue tradespeople, use the Report It link or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 with reference number 12180015933.

Harrogate man says ‘outrageous, camp and wild’ garden saved his life

Paul Ivison says his “outrageous, camp and wild” garden in Harrogate saved his life following recent mental health battles.

Mr Ivison’s loud and proud garden may be small but it is hard to miss as you walk up Mayfield Grove to where it meets Mayfield Terrace, just a short walk from the town centre.

He designs a themed garden each year and this year he has gone with for mental health.

On the wall outside the garden are messages and advice for people on how to cope with mental health problems and who to contact if they need help.

As well as a wide array of plants and flowers his garden is also interspersed with and eclectic and colourful range of items including the Philippines flag, to represent his partner, photos of the Queen and Prince Philip, fairies, gnomes and bowling pins.

Mr Ivison, 61, took an overdose to end his life in January and the garden has given him the strength to carry on. He said:

“If it wasn’t for this garden, I wouldn’t be here.”

“It’s been a tough time but the garden clears my mind.”

Mr Ivison was in the Royal Navy during the late 1970s and early 1980s and recently began suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to what he witnessed.

He works part-time at Asda in Harrogate and also receives Personal Independence Payment for people with a disability.

After a review in January, the money he was entitled to was drastically cut which led to financial worries and a risk that he would lose his beloved home and garden. This led to his suicide attempt.

After providing more evidence, and support from Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones, he had his full entitlement reinstated.

Mr Ivison is critical of the Department for Work and Pensions and said PIP reviews  were responsible for dozens of suicides. He hopes his garden will highlight what he believes are the government’s shortcomings in tackling mental health and its approach to benefits.

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Mr Ivison, who has lived in the house for 15 years, said 95% of the objects in the garden have been recycled.

He enjoys sitting outside with a coffee and a cigarette watching the world go by while speaking to neighbours. One woman who lives nearby called in during the Stray Ferret’s visit to say the garden has helped with her own mental health.

Mr Ivison said:

“I’ve had some amazing comments. It brightens up their day.”

His garden is open to anyone who wants to visit.

“A lot of people say — pull yourself together, or exercise — but it’s not as easy as that. We all have friends who suffer. The best thing you can do is listen.”

He’s already thinking about next year and said he has decided on a new theme for the garden.

“Next year it will be a Pride garden. It will be camp as hell!”

Police have ‘public duty’ to tackle noisy cars, says commissioner

Police have a “public duty” to tackle noisy and speeding cars in Harrogate, says North Yorkshire’s police commissioner.

Philip Allott, who was elected North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in May, told the Stray Ferret the force had received a record number of complaints about the issue.

He said in the past four weeks, more than 20 complaints had been made about speeding and noisy vehicles.

Mr Allott said there was a “public duty to sort the issue”, which had become more prominent as the country heads out of lockdown.

He told a recent commissioner public accountability meeting that police need to be seen to be “proactive” about the issue.

Mr Allott said:

“We’re leading into post lockdown, people are now hearing noises that perhaps they didn’t before and we need to balance the sensitivities of the communities that I represent with the rights and freedoms of others.

“I think as a force, North Yorkshire Police need to be shown to be proactive but also caring. If people are speeding then we need to demonstrate that we are holding them to account.”

Last month, the force said it would be taking a “zero tolerance” approach to noisy cars and “antisocial driving of high powered” vehicles in the town centre.

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Harrogate often attracts drivers, sometimes in modified vehicles, racing around the main roads, particularly during summer.

The police pledged in a statement last month to keep up the pressure during the summer months on “the irresponsible behaviour of some drivers which is not only unsafe but also highly disruptive”.

Operation Chrome will see increased police patrols in hot spots, more speed cameras across town, vehicle stops and detailed CCTV reviews.

Superintendent Steve Thomas said:

“Residents and visitors should not have to fear for their safety or have their days blighted by this excessive noise.

“We are taking a zero tolerance approach to this dangerous behaviour.”

Harrogate services back on track after person hit by train

Harrogate services are back on track after a person was hit by a train this morning near Leeds.

Trains on the Northern line between York, Harrogate and Leeds as well as the LNER line between London and Leeds were cancelled.

The incident was first reported to British Transport Police (BTP) at 8am. Full service was restored shortly after 10am.

Paramedics also attended reports of a casualty on the tracks near Horsforth in Leeds and took the person to hospital.

BTP has since said it is not currently treating the incident as suspicious.

While the line is now clear, it is likely that there will continue to be disruption between Harrogate and Leeds for the rest of the day.

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British Transport Police (BTP) said in a statement:

“British Transport Police were called to the line in Leeds at 7.59am today following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

“Paramedics also attended, and a person has been taken to a local hospital.

“This incident is not being treated as suspicious.”

National Rail said in a statement:

“The emergency services have dealt with the incident between Horsforth and Leeds and all lines have reopened.

“Trains between Harrogate and Leeds may continue to be delayed, cancelled or revised whilst the service returns to normal.”

£10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme: what key groups say

The £10.9 million Station Gateway scheme is one of the biggest and most controversial transport policies in Harrogate for years.

The scheme aims to transform the way people travel in the town centre by encouraging cycling and walking and reducing traffic.

Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority have received UK government funding for the initiative.

Two proposals have proved particularly divisive so far: reducing traffic on Station Parade to one lane and pedestrianising the northern section of James Street.

Some businesses fear these moves could damage trade but many individuals and environmental groups support them.

Detailed designs are now being drawn up after the publication of a consultation document.

Here are edited extracts of what some stakeholders said in their consultation responses.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce

In the case of James Street, whilst we are against full pedestrianisation, we are not adverse to its semi-pedestrianisation, beyond its junction with Princes Square. We would also advocate retaining some of the parking bays.

What we are sadly lacking is a well thought out plan. Not just a vision for a future Harrogate, but a sustainable transport plan which involves the views of Harrogate.

Harrogate Bus Company

Your consultation gives two choices – single or twin lane. Our preference is a hybrid approach with two lanes, one for buses and one for other traffic the length of Cheltenham Parade from Cheltenham Mount to the bus station and also on the section south of the bus station to station bridge.

CEG (property group)

CEG would whole heartedly support the Station Gateway proposals and in particular we welcome the reduction of Station Parade to one lane and the total pedestrianisation of the northern element of James Street

Zero Carbon Harrogate

Zero Carbon Harrogate supports the lowest traffic options presented in the Harrogate Station Gateway consultation as we believe the result will be a more vibrant, pleasant and prosperous town. They will also best meet the wishes expressed by around 15,000 respondents to the Harrogate Congestion Study in 2019 who overwhelmingly supported measures to increase active travel and public transport.

Harrogate Business Improvement District

The BID supports the two lane proposals but with one dedicated to buses and taxis only. We don’t agree with the proposed two-way cycle lanes as it doesn’t form part of a connected and segregated cycling route and would result in reduced space for pedestrians — we would prefer to see some pavement widening.

We are concerned that the current consultation process hasn’t engaged the wider Harrogate community and urge you to consider sending details of the proposals via email and post to all Harrogate residents a this is such a significant step change in travel.

Harrogate Civic Society

There is a problem with making comments on these specific options (which focus on a relatively small section of Harrogate town centre) when there is no indication of these being part of a longer-term, integrated traffic policy for the wider area. As with previous proposals (some of which have been implemented) there is the very real possibility that, without a clear traffic policy for the whole of the town, these changes will in the future be seen as having been unnecessary or detrimental.

The need for major change to Station Square is questioned. The principal problems with this space relate to inadequate maintenance and poor collection of litter.

Commercial Street Retailers Group

An overwhelming majority of 81.25% of Commercial Street retailers voted for the two-lane option.

We are concerned and disappointed about the length, geographical reach and visibility of the consultation. With something as significant as this, all households in the Harrogate district should be consulted.

Harrogate District Friends of the Earth

The new layout will encourage more people to use the bus and rail station It will benefit buses and bus users; it will make cycling safer on this route; it will encourage cycling; it will make walking safer on this route.

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