The Stray Ferret spent the day at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (March 20).

We sat through a full day of hearings, which included cases of dangerous driving, drink-driving and fraud. 

You can read reports on three cases below. 

Liam Rigby, of Belle Vue Terrace near Summerbridge, appeared in court for sentencing.

Rigby previously pleaded guilty to driving a car dangerously; failing to give information relating to the identification of a driver; driving a car involved in an accident and failing to report that accident; being a driver and failing to stop after a road accident, and failing to stop a vehicle when required by a constable or traffic warden. 

Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court police officers were notified of a driver who failed to stop for another officer on August 24 last year.

The court heard officers identified the car on Ripon Road in Harrogate shortly before 2am. They signalled for the vehicle to stop but the driver continued.

Ms Ibbotson said the car then got up to 70mph on Duchy Road and failed to give way at two roundabouts.

Rigby, the driver, travelled at up to 80mph in a 40mph zone, before reaching 90mph in a 60mph zone.

The court heard police officers “backed off” on Pot Bank in Harrogate, as they knew it was a windy road. It was there that Rigby crashed into a brick wall, causing £1,000 worth of damage.

He fled the scene. No other passengers were in the car.

Ms Ibbotson told the court the car was registered to Rigby and officers went to his address. There was no answer when they knocked, but his DNA matched DNA found on the deployed airbag. 

Byron Chatzis, defending, said Rigby pleaded guilty to the offences at the earliest opportunity. A pre-sentence report was prepared ahead of the hearing but it was not read aloud in court.

The court heard Rigby previously lived in a hostel and was associated with a “bad crowd”, but he has now removed himself from this group.

No drugs or alcohol were involved in the offences, but Rigby has come from a "difficult background".

Mr Chatzis said the 24-year-old defendant suffers anxiety and depression and has “emotional issues” but he has been prescribed medication since the incident and is seeking therapy.

He added Rigby is an “intelligent man” who is looking to become a mechanic.

The court heard Rigby apologised for his actions and was thankful no one was hurt.

The magistrates handed him a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay a total of £199 to the court.

Woman admits being nearly five times over drink-drive limit

A woman admitted to being nearly five times over the drink-drive limit at Hilton Lane in Knaresborough. 

Victoria Wiltshire, who gave her address as Church View in Dacre Banks, pleaded guilty to one count of drink-driving.

The offence happened on February 21 this year. 

Wiltshire, 46, gave a reading of 163 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is just 35 micrograms.

The case was immediately adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, and neither the prosecution nor the defence gave any background to the offence. 

Wiltshire will return to court on May 9 and was banned from driving in the interim. 

Woman admits three fraud offences

A Harrogate woman appeared in court charged with a number of fraud offences.

Samantha Clement, of Bower Street, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation.

Clement used two bank cards that did not belong to her to make several purchases.

Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court the owner of the bank card reported that her bag, which had her cards inside, had been stolen when she was on a night out in Harrogate.

The woman realised she had last used her card at 11.30pm on August 13, 2024, but the card was used at McDonald’s at 12.45am the following day.

The card was then used at a shop on Parliament Street and again at a petrol station on Ripon Road.

Clement spent a total of £382.02 on the woman’s card.

Andrew Tinning, defending, told the court Clement has long-standing issues with drug misuse.

The court heard the 41-year-old defendant “struggles with accommodation” and a CCTV operator had seen her sleeping rough at the time of the offences.

Mr Tinning said Clement came across the cards and decided to use them.

The offences were not in relation to drugs, but she “took the opportunity she was presented with” when she found the bank cards.

“She thought nothing more of it until the police came knocking”, Mr Tinning added.

The court heard Clement’s drug use has reduced “to an extent”. She was on crutches when in court due to ulcers on her legs caused by drug use, which have to be dressed by a GP, but she was recently accepted for a place at a residential rehabilitation centre. 

Mr Tinning told the magistrates the offences were a “stupid one-off thing” and Clement “took an opportunity she now regrets”.

“She maintains this is not the start of further offending”, the court heard.

Clements was ordered to pay an £80 fine, a £32 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.