A man has pleaded guilty to headbutting two police officers in Boroughbridge last year.
Jonathan Carradus, 32, was charged with assaulting emergency workers and occasioning actual bodily harm on July 10, 2022.
Carradus appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday and spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea.
The 32-year-old, who gave an address in Cumbria, was charged with assaulting the officers in the town.
Antony Farrell, prosecuting, told the court that Carradus had an argument with his girlfriend and had left the property on the street to get into his car at 11.15pm.
Officers from North Yorkshire Police then stopped him after responding to reports of an “ongoing domestic” in the area.
The court heard that Carradus refused to offer a specimen and began being aggressive with the named police constables.
Mr Farrell said the 32-year-old headbutted one of the officers and a struggle started.
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Carradus then assaulted the second officer and continued to resist arrest, the court heard.
His defence said that he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and that the incident “went the wrong way”.
The magistrates ordered Carradus to appear before the court on January 27 to be sentenced.
Business Breakfast: Harrogate chamber meeting to focus on devolutionNow is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. We are encouraging businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district to enter for our awards and get recognition from our top panel of judges. Entries close on January 16.
The effect of North Yorkshire devolution on Harrogate businesses will be in the spotlight at a meeting tonight.
Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Richard Flinton, chief executive of the authority, will address business leaders at a Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce event.
The meeting will focus on how changes in local government from April 1 and the prospect of a directly elected mayor for the county will impact traders.
David Simister, chamber chief executive, said:
“The creation of a new, single tier authority is the biggest change in local government since 1974, and we are delighted to have Cllr Les and Mr Flinton with us for our first meeting of 2023.
“We are keen to hear from them their vision for economic growth, and to know what the likely implications of greater devolution, and a directly elected mayor for North Yorkshire, will be for the district’s business community.
“Harrogate Convention Centre is one of the biggest economic drivers for the district. Currently owned and operated by Harrogate Borough Council, come April 1 it will then fall under the new authority.
“We have learned that a new strategic board is to be created to oversee the proposed £49m redevelopment project, and to assess the most appropriate operating model for the venue in the future. What we don’t know yet is the makeup of this body.”
The meeting will be held at Rudding Park Hotel and doors will open for networking from 5.30pm. Speakers will start at 6.15pm.
For information on how to attend the meeting, visit the chamber website here.
Housing developer creates North Yorkshire division
A housing developer has announced it has set up a North Yorkshire regional division as part of its business.
Avant Homes, which has approval for an 80-home development in Green Hammerton, launched the new division. It is expected to include 726 homes across five schemes.
It also includes projects in York and Leeds and is valued at £206 million.
Scott Varley, regional chairman of Avant Homes, said:
“Avant Homes North Yorkshire is an exciting expansion to our business which forms part of our ongoing nationwide strategic growth plan.
“Launching with three developments underway, and two others receiving planning approval, means we have a great deal of momentum in North Yorkshire allowing us to deliver much-needed, new-build homes for people in the region.”
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Stray Views: ‘Despair’ at Prime Minister’s maths proposal
Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
I despair with the latest idea from the Prime Minister.
The concept of making all children study maths to age 18 shows how out of touch with reality Rishi Sunak is. Apart from the fact that this would cause chaos in schools at a time when there are so many other issues that the public want sorting out, beggars’ belief.
As a retired teacher and a life-long conservative. I would love to get Rishi in a room and give him a verbal thrashing. This ’intellectual’ ideal of maths to age 18 does not square with the reality that not all children are academic, and that there is a need for more practical and vocational training. Already in a post pandemic era there are thousands of young people who are disaffected and uninspired by the present education system.
This is partly due to rigid and inflexible curricula and staff protocols. The PM’s priority should be setting up a system like the pandemic ‘Nightingale Hospitals’ to take the ‘bed blockers’ out of hospitals, thus also reducing the blockages at A&E and freeing up ambulances.
We clearly need to train more doctors and nurses, but not every nurse needs a degree and perhaps going back to ‘on the ward’ training with paid trainees is the answer.
As for all the strikes such as rail workers and postal workers, the government needs to be more proactive in getting a resolution. Teaching maths to age 18 will not solve any of these issues.
Brian Souter, Starbeck
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Another hospital for Harrogate should be built
Is there any reason why another hospital cannot be built instead of all the available land being used for housing?
I remember people saying it was a good idea for “another” hospital when it was proposed to demolish the general. It was said the hospital was getting a bit tatty, but there was surprise when land was sold for housing and not another hospital.
Also Carlton Lodge on Leeds Road which was used in addition for maternity was sold and everything – and I mean everything – was to be in the new district hospital.
There really should be another hospital. Not a bigger one, another one.
Anne Smith, Pannal
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
More drivers arrested in Harrogate for drink driving than any other districtMore drivers have been arrested in the Harrogate district as part of North Yorkshire Police’s Christmas drink drive campaign than any over district.
The force tested 1,035 people throughout December for drink and drug driving.
It comes as part of North Yorkshire Police’s campaign to clamp down on people driving under the influence.
Following roadside tests carried out by the force 121 people have been arrested.
Of that number, 33 drivers were in the Harrogate district. The second most were in York, which saw 30 people arrested.
Ryedale and Craven saw the fewest arrested with six and three drivers.
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Drink driving arrests made by North Yorkshire Police during the force’s campaign. Data: NYP.
Seventy-three of the arrests were for drink driving, 40 arrests for drug driving (one person was arrested for both drink and drug driving) and nine people were arrested for failing to provide.
Eighteen of those arrested followed a road traffic collision.
Superintendent Emma Aldred, head of specialist operations at North Yorkshire Police, said:
“Along with other emergency services we see far too often the devastating consequences that drink and drug driving causes.
“We often use the term ‘the ripple effect,’ as the mindless actions from one individual can lead to trauma and heartache for many more people.
“Although a vast majority of people were driving within the legal limits, 121 arrests is an alarming number, and it makes this set of results a difficult read.
“This campaign has focused on asking people to call us with information about drink and drug drivers.
“I’m pleased to say we’ve received a significant amount of calls over the past month and often these calls have often resulted in arrests and most likely the prevention of further devastation.”
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- Criminals in North Yorkshire could make written apologies to victims
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Harrogate district residents to be offered cost of living support
Thousands of people in the Harrogate district will be offered support amid the cost of living crisis.
North Yorkshire County Council is working with Harrogate Borough Council to offer a one-off payment in supermarket e-vouchers to help those most in need to pay for food and other essentials.
The scheme was initially set up by the Department for Work and Pensions to help people meet the cost of energy bills, food and other essentials as the country recovered from the covid-19 pandemic.
The funding is allocated to councils, which then distribute the money in a way that meets the needs of their local communities.
Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for corporate services, said:
“These are difficult times for people, so the third phase of the Household Support Fund will really make a difference to the many residents who are struggling to afford food and basic necessities.
“We’ve been working closely with borough and district council colleagues to identify who is eligible for the Household Support Fund vouchers based on guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions, so you do not need to approach your local council, we will contact you.”
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The latest round of the Household Support Fund has also been used to supplement other schemes which will help residents with their household costs.
This includes support for food banks and other schemes providing free food across the county.
For more information on the Household Support Fund in North Yorkshire, visit the county council website here.
Developer fails to submit plans for 214 homes in Boroughbridge before deadlinePlanners have refused to grant permission for a development in Boroughbridge to go ahead because the applicant has failed to provide sufficient information.
Barratt and David Wilson Homes were criticised by Harrogate Borough Council for not submitting the required documents for the southern half of the Stump Cross development, despite repeated requests.
Planning officer Kate Broadbank told the planning committee yesterday:
“Without information relating to scale, design and appearance of houses, which would be affordable and where the open spaces and landscaping would be, it’s not possible to assess the relationship between the buildings, routes and open spaces to confirm whether this layout would be acceptable.”
The site, which is east of the A168 and is included in the local plan, already has outline planning permission for 450 homes granted in 2019.
A condition of that outline permission was that full details would be submitted for approval within three years, which would have been last April.
Ms Broadbank added:
“We have had no applications for the remaining reserved matters and the applicant is out of time for the submission of these, therefore the outline permission can no longer be taken forward.”
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Details of the first phase of development on the northern half of the site have already been submitted and were approved last February, with 256 homes included.
If the second phase were to be approved with the proposed 214 homes, it would bring the total to 470.
Speaking at yesterday’s committee meeting, Conservative Cllr Robert Windass said the council had worked with the developer on the first half of the site. He added:
“I’m totally and utterly surprised that they haven’t engaged with us as they did last time, because we came to a very amicable conclusion on that one, but this beggars belief.”
Ms Broadbank agreed, saying:
Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm partner finalist at Northern Powerhouse awards“They have had plenty of opportunity to engage with us and to discuss everything with us that we’ve asked for.
“We have had various meetings and they’ve kept saying, ‘it will be coming, it will be coming’, but it’s got to the point where enough is enough.”
Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. We are encouraging businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district to enter for our awards and get recognition from our top panel of judges. Entries close on January 16.
A Harrogate law firm partner has reached the final of the Northern Powerhouse awards.
Kate Banerjee, who heads the children’s department at Jones Myers solicitors, has been shortlisted in the private client category.
Organised by the Legal 500 guide, the prestigious accolades recognise outstanding firms, lawyers, rising stars and in-house teams across 23 categories and celebrates their achievements over the last 18 months.
Ms Banerjee said:
“This recognition is a true team effort and attributable to the relentless dedication of our specialists who consistently provide the best solutions for our clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. Well done to every team member and we wish all the finalists the best of luck.”
Richard Peaker, managing partner at Jones Myers, said:
“Kate’s shortlisting among the best lawyers in their field is well deserved and reflects the esteem in which Kate and the Children’s Department are held.
“The recognition also reinforces Jones Myers standing as a leading family law practice which has maintained its number 1 position in the legal guides for over two decades.”
The awards will take place on March 23, 2023, at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester.
New manager hired at property firm to oversee Harrogate portfolio

Darran Ezard, new property manager at Scanlans.
A property management firm has appointed a new manager to oversee its portfolio in Harrogate, Ripon and Boroughbridge.
Scanlans, which is based in Leeds, has hired Darran Ezard to oversee its properties in the district.
Recent additions to Scanlans’ Harrogate management portfolio include Queens Close, Grayson House, Oak Lodge, Cavendish Place, Beech Grove, Trafalgar Court and Byron Court.
Michael Willans, the head of property management for Scanlans in Yorkshire, said:
“Darran is an excellent addition to our growing team and we are really pleased to welcome him to the firm.
“He has a track record of successfully managing a wide variety of large and small developments in the Yorkshire area, and is adept at working with contractors, tenants and owners as well as management bodies and their directors.
“Having him on board extends our capabilities at a time when we are seeing good growth in contracts as we continue to strengthen our presence in the Yorkshire regional market.
“Harrogate in particular is proving to be an area of rapid expansion for us, with around a dozen new, sought-after sites coming under our management in the first quarter of this year alone.”
Mr Ezard added:
Firefighters rescue horse trapped in floodwater in Harrogate district“It’s an exciting time to join Scanlans as we build our presence in the North Yorkshire market and across the region.
“I look forward to utilising my property management and accounting experience to help us further develop our market share, working with a strong team of colleagues and with tenants, leaseholders, freeholders and management companies to look after their interests.”
Firefighters rescued a horse trapped in floodwater today in the Harrogate district.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it was alerted to the danger at 8am this morning. It occurred off the A59 York Road at Kirk Hammerton.
The incident log said:
“Crews from Acomb and Tadcaster attended an incident where a horse had become trapped in floodwater.
“Crews attached a general purpose line and dragged the horse to safety.
“The horse was then covered with a blanket to keep warm.”
The Environment Agency issued a flood alert today for the Lower River Ure in the Harrogate district.
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Top 5 reasons to enter the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023
The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 sponsored by Prosperis is set to celebrate the best of businesses from across the Harrogate district.
With the deadline for entries fast approaching on Monday, January 16 we are revealing the top reasons why businesses simply cannot miss the opportunity to get involved.
The entry process is simple, fast and free, so what are you waiting for? Enter or nominate today!
Shout about your achievements
We know the Harrogate district is home to thousands of incredible small, medium and large businesses.
In the face of the coronavirus pandemic and now a cost of living crisis, local businesses are doing amazing things for their staff and customers.
So why not get recognition for those achievements? Whether your business has seen significant growth, made positive changes for sustainability or inclusivity, we can help you celebrate.
Attract top talent and keep employees motivated
Now more than ever we know just how important it is to attract new employees and keep your existing employees motivated.
Winning or being shortlisted for an award is a great way to set your business apart from the rest. Who doesn’t want to make for an award-winning business?
Not only do we have awards celebrating overall business achievements, we also have awards geared specifically towards celebrating the work of your best staff.
So if you have a Rising Star Under 30 or an Unsung Hero at your business then show them your appreciation and nominate them today.
Exposure with the Stray Ferret’s audience
The Stray Ferret has a huge, local audience. We get more than 200,000 readers every month from across the Harrogate district and beyond.
With ten categories come ten winners and we will profile the great work of all of our winners. So this is a great chance to get your business in front of our readers.
Incredible judging panel
When you are looking to get recognition for your business, it is key that those on the judging panel are the best of the best.
That is why we have handpicked the leaders of top businesses from across the Harrogate district with expertise and experience in a wider variety of sectors.
We have Charlene Lyons, CEO of Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, Marcus Boardall, CEO of Reed Boardall in Boroughbridge, Martin Rae, CEO of Cloud Nine in Harrogate and James Farrar, COO of the York and North Yorkshire LEP in Northallerton.
Network with the best local businesses
The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be a great way to network with the event culminating in a glittering awards dinner on March 9.
With our stellar judging panel, sponsors and shortlisted businesses for each of our ten categories, this is not an event to be missed.
You can see a full list of award categories on the Stray Ferret Business Awards page. Entries close on Monday, January 16.
Eligibility for free school meals in Harrogate district rises by 50% since pandemic
The number of children eligible for free school meals in the Harrogate district has risen by 50% since before the start of the covid pandemic.
The figures, obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through a freedom of information request, highlight the financial pressure many families face due to rising food, energy and housing costs.
To qualify for free school meals a parent of a child who is in year three or above must apply to North Yorkshire County Council with evidence they are receiving a benefit, such as Child Tax Credit, Income Support, or Universal Credit.
All children in reception, year one and year two automatically receive free school meals through the Universal Infant Free School Meal Scheme.
At the end of 2019, the number of children eligible for free school meals in the Harrogate district was 1,794 — representing 8% of all children. But by the close of 2022 this figure had risen to 2,715, taking the overall percentage to 12%.
The figure is still far below the national figure of 22.5% but Dawn Pearson, area manager at Harrogate District Foodbank, told the LDRS more working parents in the district are in need of help to feed their children.
She believes the situation will not improve without “drastic” measures to improve wages and reduce inflation. Ms Pearson said:
“It’s getting worse. People are struggling and it’s a bad time for everyone. If you’ve got children they are always in need. There’s school uniform, breakfasts, lunch and dinner. Things now cost a lot”.
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A council spokeswoman said the increase in eligible children for free school meals was down to factors including the introduction of Universal Credit and the effects of the pandemic. She said:
“In April 2018, the new Universal Credit was rolled out and nationally, children were able to remain on free school meals as they continued through their present school even if families’ overall income increased, to mitigate the impact.
“Increases in people meeting the income threshold for free school meals during the first year of the pandemic could potentially be linked to the effects of the pandemic.
The county council has been on a drive to improve take-up of those entitled to free school meals after it was revealed that one in five children who are entitled to the benefit are still not receiving it.”
The spokeswoman added:
“We would like every family eligible for free school meals to take up that offer. Last year we launched an extensive campaign to encourage this. School catering teams can provide support with issues such as food sensitivities and help children enjoy new foods. They provide children with nutritious healthy food which can help them stay focused on learning and keep up their energy levels throughout the day.”