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

We sat through a full day of hearings, which included cases of assaulting an emergency worker, drug-driving and shop theft.

You can read reports on three cases below. 

Alishea Smith, of East Parade in Harrogate, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.

Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told the court police were called to Smith’s home on East Parade in the early hours of December 1 last year.

The court heard officers went to make enquiries about a missing person, who was with Smith at the time.

When officers arrived, Smith became “verbally abusive” towards them and tried to stop them from entering the property.

Ms Barnard said officers got inside and, when leaving, the 19-year-old defendant followed them.

The court heard:

Smith has several previous convictions and breached a community order by committing the offence.

Andrew Tinning, defending, told the court the offence was “perhaps not the most serious assault on an emergency worker the court has seen”.

Police officers took the missing person home, and the defendant wanted to speak to the person, Mr Tinning said.

The court heard:

Mr Tinning said Smith has been engaging well with the probation service as part of the previous order imposed.

She also has “neurodivergence issues”, he added.

The magistrates ordered Smith to pay a total of £253 to the court. This comprises a £120 fine, a £48 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs. 

Man admits drug-driving in Knaresborough

Alan Hodge, of Newby Crescent in Harrogate, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told the court police officers saw a car drive through a red light on October 16 last year.

Officers stopped the car, which Hodge was driving, at Conyngham Hall car park in Knaresborough and took a roadside breath sample.

Ms Barnard said a blood sample was later taken, which recorded 484 micrograms of benzoylecgonine – a cocaine breakdown product – per litre of blood. 

Sean Wilson, defending, told the court Hodge was of previous good character.

“Mr Hodge said he had taken cocaine that day and had never used it before. He said it was a one off”, the court heard. 

He added losing his driving licence would have a “significant effect” on Hodge.

The case was adjourned whilst a pre-sentence report is prepared. Hodge will return to court for sentencing on April 3.

He was disqualified from driving in the interim. 

Knaresborough man fined for stealing bottle of water

Matthew Yare, of Stockwell Lane in Knaresborough, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop.

Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told the court the defendant entered Sainsbury’s on Harrogate's Cold Bath Road just after 7pm on January 18.

The court heard Yare, 42, put a bottle of Buxton water in his bag and left the store without paying.

The bottle of water cost £1.65.

He admitted the offence to the police when he was interviewed, Ms Barnard said, adding Yare has several previous convictions.

Sean Wilson, defending, told the court Yare had recently split up with his partner at the time of the offence.

Yare had “gone off the rails”, Mr Wilson said.

The court heard due to this, the defendant was dehydrated and thought he was going to pass out, so he stole the water.

Yare is attending appointments with North Yorkshire Horizons voluntarily due to alcohol problems, Mr Wilson added.

The bench chair told Yare:

The magistrates fined Yare £40. He was also ordered to pay a £16 surcharge, £85 in prosecution costs and £1.65 in compensation.