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    28

    Feb 2023

    Last Updated: 28/02/2023
    Crime
    Crime

    Police reassure Harrogate councillors over knife crime concerns

    by Calvin Robinson

    | 28 Feb, 2023
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    nypknife
    Chief inspector Rich Ogden and Superintendent Teresa Lam.

    North Yorkshire Police has sought to reassure people that Harrogate does not have a worse problem with knife crime than other places.

    Councillors questioned police about the issue last night after 17-year-old Seb Mitchell lost his life on Claro Road following an incident on February 19.

    Rich Ogden, chief inspector at the force, told Harrogate Borough Council's overview and scrutiny commission the county was one of the safest in England. However, he added that the force continued to work with young people to educate them not to carry knives.

    The meeting heard 98 knives have been dropped off at an amnesty bin in Dragon Road car park at Asda in Harrogate since it was installed in January.

    When asked by Cllr Chris Aldred, chair of the committee, whether Harrogate had a problem with knife crime, Ch Insp Ogden said:

    “We are living in one of the safest counties in England and we must not forget that.
    “Any incident involving a knife can end in tragedy.”


    He added:

    “I don’t see that Harrogate has a problem more than anywhere else.
    “But it would be wrong of me to say that knives are prevalent on the streets. We’ve got to encourage people not to use knives and carry knives at any point. Particularly those who take knives out for their own protection.”





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    Ch Insp Ogden added that a large amount of the knives that have been dropped off in the amnesty bin were household kitchen knives and that the facility helped the public to dispose of them safely.

    Superintendent Teresa Lam told the committee:

    “Even though we are considered the safest force area, we continually liaise with our counterparts across the country including London so that we are continually understanding what the trends and patterns are.”


    A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with attempted murder on February 20. He is due to appear in court on March 14. Ch Insp Ogden told the meeting it was now a murder investigation.