Audi stolen from driveway in Ripon

A car has been stolen from the driveway of a property in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened on Clotherholme Park, which is off Lark Lane, between midnight and 3.30 am this morning (October 10).

The rear door of the house was damaged and the suspect removed a set of keys. 

A white Audi A5 five-door hatchback with the registration FX69 UCG was then stolen from the driveway of the property.

Officers have asked the public to keep an eye out for the stolen vehicle and appealed for any CCTV or doorbell footage that may help the investigation.

A police statement added:

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Sam.Clarke2@northyorkshire.police.uk .You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Sam Clarke.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230192125 when passing information.”

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Firefighters tackle car fire on A1(M)

Firefighters from Ripon, Masham and Knaresborough used breathing apparatus to tackle a major car fire on the A1(M) today.

Fire engines were called to the southbound carriageway at the junction 49 slip road at 7.24am this morning.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“Crews located the Audi that was well alight and extinguished it using one hose reel jet and two breathing apparatus.

“Crews dampened down and made the vehicle safe before leaving the incident in the hands of the highways agency.”

North Yorkshire Police later posted on social media that “the fire is now out and occupants uninjured”.

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Man jailed for 140mph Harrogate police pursuit after being banned from driving

A man walked out of court after being banned from driving and jumped straight into his car before leading police on a 140mph chase from Harrogate.

Jason Ryder, 45, was so furious at being found guilty of drug-driving and losing his licence at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court in March that he got behind the wheel of his Audi A3 and raced from police at astonishing speeds while weaving in and out of traffic on the A1(M) and bombing down the hard shoulder at speeds of more than 130mph.

Dashcam footage of the hair-raising police chase was shown at York Crown Court today when Ryder appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without a licence.

Prosecutor Edward Steele said that Ryder was released from the Harrogate court on March 20 after being convicted of driving under the influence of drugs in a previous incident near Knaresborough and receiving a 12-month motoring ban.

He said that Ryder got into his black Audi “immediately after being released from the court” at about midday. 

Police switched on the blue lights, but Ryder didn’t stop and a 17-minute car chase ensued, firstly along the A658 John Metcalf Way in Harrogate where he overtook vehicles, causing motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

He then “manoeuvred around” a heavy-goods vehicle and sped onto the A1(M)’s northbound carriageway, “moving across all lanes and travelling for long periods of time on the hard shoulder, at times at speeds of over 130mph in a 70mph zone”.

Mr Steele said that at certain sections, the Audi was travelling at over 140mph as it zig-zagged between dense traffic and overtook and undertook vehicles from one side of the road to the other.

You can watch police footage of the chase below.

Ryder then turned onto the A6055 towards Northallerton at 140mph on a wet road surface due to the rainy weather. 

Mr Steele added:

“The driving included overtaking and driving on the opposite side of the carriageway.”

Police laid a stinger on the road which deflated the Audi’s tyres and the car came to a halt. He was arrested and brought before York magistrates the following day, where he pleaded guilty to all three offences. 

The court heard that Ryder had a previous conviction for careless driving and failing to provide a specimen for analysis in 1998, for which he received an 18-month motoring ban.

‘Not thinking straight’

Defence barrister Gabrielle Wilks said that Ryder made a “split-second” decision to speed from police due to “heightened emotions” following the trial which went against him.

She said he was “not thinking straight” and was suffering from “mental angst” on the day in question due to personal problems.

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She added that Ryder, of Wellgarth, Bishop Auckland, had lost his full-time job and could lose his home if he were jailed. 

Recorder Anthony Hawks described Ryder’s driving as “appalling” and said that he could easily have killed someone.

He told Ryder: 

“The circumstances of the dangerous driving are…extremely serious, both as to how it started and the actual driving itself.

“I reject entirely the suggestion put forward (by Ryder’s defence counsel) that you didn’t understand the disqualification ran immediately. You had been disqualified before (and) you must have realised that following your conviction and sentence (for drug-driving) you were a disqualified driver.

“You had no business…in taking your car to the magistrates (court) in the first place.”

Mr Hawks said it was clear that Ryder was “angry” when he got behind the wheel because the trial “had gone against you”.

He added: 

“At any time during the 17-minute police chase, you could have come to your senses and stopped, but you didn’t. 

“The dangerous driving was appalling. There was heavy traffic. You were weaving all over lanes. You were driving at speeds up to 140mph. It’s extraordinary that nobody was seriously injured or killed.”

Ryder was jailed for 10 months and given a 23-month driving ban. 

Audi driver pleads guilty after 140mph police pursuit in Harrogate

A man has admitted dangerous driving in Harrogate after leading police on a 140mph pursuit.

Jason Ryder, 45, of Wellgarth, Bishop Auckland, appeared before York Magistrates Court yesterday.

Ryder was charged with dangerous driving on York Place in Harrogate, on Wetherby Road, on the A658 John Metcalf Way, on the A1(M) and on the A6055 on Monday (March 20).

He was also charged with driving his Audi A3 while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Ryder, who was eventually halted by a police stinger, pleaded guilty to all the offences.

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He appeared in court just a day after being disqualified from driving for 12 months for drug driving at junction 47 of the A1(M) near Knaresborough.

He was pursued by North Yorkshire Police immediately after leaving Harrogate Magistrates Court on March 20.

Officers described him as “weaving dangerously in and out of traffic” while reaching speeds of 140mph.

Paul Cording, a roads policing sergeant for the force, said he had shown “a complete disregard for road safety and the judicial system”.

Ryder will appear before York Crown Court to be sentenced on April 11.

Knaresborough Audi plans to expand with new repair shop

The Audi dealership at St James Retail Park in Knaresborough plans to expand by building a standalone repair shop.

Plans lodged with Harrogate Borough Council say the repair shop would cater for cosmetic problems like scratches, chips or dents and create 12 jobs for technicians and managers.

Sytner Group, which runs the Audi dealership, hopes to expand to the rear of the site where it currently stores cars.

The repair shop would be constructed using similar materials to the existing dealership, which is made of metallic silver cladding.

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A design and access statement submitted to the council on behalf of Sytner Group says:

“The development will have minimal impact upon the surrounding area and is fully compliant with planning policy.

“The proposals will have no negative social impact but will have a positive impact for the dealership.

“The facility is essential for the continued sustainability of the business at this location. The ability to expand and create employment opportunities is essential to the current and future business models.”

The council’s planning department will decide whether to approve or reject the proposal.

 

Harrogate car salesman jailed for running over man

A car salesman from Harrogate has been jailed for running over and seriously injuring a 58-year-old man in his BMW.

Alexander Melville, 42 – an award-winning salesman of prestige cars who was banned from driving at the time – was said to be lighting a cigarette just before the BMW veered onto the pavement and struck pedestrian Richard Selby.

As Mr Selby lay  on the footpath beside Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, Melville “casually” collected his belongings from the car and walked off, York Crown Court heard.

Witnesses called 999 and Mr Selby was taken to hospital where he underwent a series of operations, including surgery to have pins inserted into his broken leg.

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Melville – formerly Audi’s leading UK car salesman for the JCT600 model – later handed himself in at Harrogate Police Station after seeing police social media appeals for information.

The collision occurred at about 8.45am on January 26, just after Melville had been to a garage to inflate the tyres on the “training” vehicle, which was unregistered and uninsured.

“A witness said he heard a loud noise of an engine revving,” said prosecutor Mohammed Khan.

“A car then accelerated up the hill…and swerved slightly left. Seconds later, he heard a loud bang and…saw debris and dust and the vehicle go backwards. He noticed (someone) laid on the pavement.”

The witness saw a man reaching into the BMW to “get some items out and then walk towards Knaresborough Road and off onto Rydal Road”.

Still needs crutches

Mr Selby’s injuries included a double fracture of the leg, a dislocated shoulder and a fracture of the shinbone at the knee joint. Eight months on from the accident, he still can’t walk unaided or without the help of crutches, and now relies on home carers.

Melville, of Roseville Drive, Harrogate, told police he had had the BMW for about a year but that it wasn’t insured and “wasn’t registered to anyone as it was used as a training vehicle”.

The salesman had been disqualified from driving last year by magistrates in Lincolnshire.

He appeared for sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving, driving while disqualified, having no insurance, failing to stop after a road crash and failing to report an accident.

“Lit a cigarette”

Richard Reed, acting for Melville, said his client had lost his job at Audi following his disqualification. He had previously been the “best-performing salesman” for the Sytner motor group, the UK’s leading retailer of prestige cars.

After losing his licence, Melville fell on hard times financially because his work required being able to drive.

As a result, “he lost his fiancée, the marriage was cancelled, he had no income and (was) left with a house with a (big) mortgage,” added Mr Reed.

He fell further into debt after taking out a loan and credit cards and ended up on benefits.

Just before the accident, he had “lit a cigarette in the car (and) noticed he had slightly veered over the other lane”.

“He corrected it and then the car went into a spin,” said Mr Reed.

Judge Sean Morris told Melville: “Richard Selby was (simply) walking along the Harrogate road.

“You are very lucky he survived – that man could have been dead or could have been paraplegic.”

Jailing Melville for five months, the judge told him: “When people are mangled by disqualified drivers, (the drivers) must expect to go to prison immediately, although you are ordinarily a decent man.”

Melville was also given a two-year driving ban.