Ex-Harrogate Town player cleared of rape and sexual assault charges

Former Harrogate Town player Jack Diamond has been cleared of rape and sexual assault.

Mr Diamond, 23, was found not guilty on both charges by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court this afternoon.

He was charged by Northumbria Police in March last year.

Mr Diamond, of Washington, had his loan spell at Lincoln City terminated at the time of the charges. His parent club Sunderland also suspended him pending the outcome of judicial proceedings.

A statement from Sunderland following the verdict said:

“Sunderland AFC notes the verdict from Newcastle Crown Court today, where a jury has found Jack Diamond not guilty of all charges.

“Following the conclusion of the judicial process, Jack will now return to the Academy of Light and resume footballing activity.

“SAFC will be making no further comment at this time.”

Mr Diamond played for Harrogate on loan during their National League campaign in 2019-20, scoring one of the goals at Wembley that earned promotion to the English Football League for the first time ever.

He returned to the club on loan during the 2021-22 season in League Two of the English Football League.

In his two loan spells, he scored 16 goals in 66 appearances.

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Harrogate man jailed for stalking ex-partner

A vengeful Harrogate man has been jailed today for stalking his ex-partner, breaking into her home and smashing her work van — while she was inside.

Colby Beattie, 22, waged a relentless stalking campaign against the young woman following the breakdown of their relationship, York Crown Court heard.

In September last year, about six months after their relationship ended, Beattie broke into her home on Albert Road, Harrogate, and started smashing items in her kitchen including kettles, plates and the oven door while she was upstairs.

Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said the victim called police who arrested Beattie. He was released on bail on the proviso that he didn’t contact the victim or go to her address.

However, about two weeks later she came downstairs to find him standing in her kitchen doorway. The terrified victim screamed and called police as Beattie fled from the property.

About a week later, on October 1, the victim noticed there were two flat tyres on her Citroen Berlingo works van. She suspected that Beattie had tampered with the tyres as she had only just recently had their pressure checked.

The following day, one of the tyres came off the vehicle and she noticed that some of the bolts were missing from the wheel.

Three days later, she noticed that a screw had been inserted into one of the tyres and another had been slashed.

On October 11, she received a message from Beattie while she was out of the house. Part of the message read: “Whose are the joggers?”

It was obvious to the victim that Beattie had been inside her home because the jogging bottoms belonged to a man with whom she was in a new relationship and had been left in her bedroom.

She called police out again and they searched her home to check if Beattie was still there. He wasn’t, but an hour after they left the victim received a series of phone calls from him.

Ms Morrison said:

“Later that day she left the house again and when she returned in her work van, she saw him come round the corner on a pushbike.

“He got off the pushbike and approached her van (while she was still inside), climbed onto the van and started kicking and stomping on the windscreen until it smashed.”

He then started “kicking and pulling” at the driver’s door and tried to open it. When it failed to open, he jumped on the roof and started stamping on the vehicle again.

The petrified victim called police and was “screaming down the phone for help” from inside the van, at which point Beattie jumped off the vehicle and rode off on his bike. Ms Morrison added:

“She stayed in the van for a period of time out of fear.

“When she got out, her garden gate was open and her dogs came running out.”

The victim knew this meant that Beattie must have been inside her home again. When she went inside the property, she found that the dinner she had left out had been tipped in the kitchen sink, her bank card and passport had been cut up and “left in pieces” on the kitchen island, her TV screen and iPad had been smashed up, and a packet of prescription pills and the contents of her washing machine and dryer had been emptied onto the floor. She also discovered that £240 had gone missing from a money box.

She received yet more phone calls during and after this horrifying discovery but didn’t answer them.

‘Only one sentence can be imposed’

Beattie, of Parliament Terrace, Harrogate, was charged with burglary, stalking and damaging the victim’s property. He admitted all three matters and appeared for sentence today.

The court was told that the victim hadn’t been able to work since the incident because of the damage to her van. The repair bill was as yet unknown.

At the time of the offences, Beattie was subject to a community order imposed in June last year for threatening to damage property.

Defence barrister Benjamin Bell said that Beattie “lost (everything) when the relationship went downhill” because the victim was his “first love”.

Judge Simon Hickey told Beattie:

“For this type of behaviour against this young woman there’s only one sentence that can be imposed and that’s immediate custody.”

He said the victim must have been “terrified” by Beattie’s behaviour which was aggravated by the fact that he was on bail and under a court order at the time of the offences.

Beattie was jailed for 17 months but will only serve half of that time behind bars before being released on prison licence.

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Who is the man set to lead North Yorkshire Police?

Tim Forber says it will be the honour of his 27-year career if he becomes the most senior police officer in York and North Yorkshire.

The current deputy chief constable of South Yorkshire Police will present himself for the first time to councillors on the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel next week in Northallerton.

Mr Forber is set to replace the outgoing chief constable Lisa Winward who is officially retiring in March but ended her role before Christmas.

He has been chosen as the preferred candidate for the £154,000 position by Tory crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe.

This is despite advice from councillors that the appointment should be delayed until after elections in May when her brief will become the new mayor’s responsibility.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Forber has submitted a personal statement that outlines his background and motivations for applying for the top job at North Yorkshire Police.

Cross-party councillors on the panel will quiz him about the role and make a recommendation on his appointment.

Born and bred in St Helens, policing runs in the family as his father served as an officer for 36 years before retiring in 2000.

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He studied for a law degree before joining London’s Metropolitan Police Service in 1996.

In 1997, he won a Royal Humane Society award after he rescued a woman from drowning in freezing waters in the River Thames.

During his time at the Met, he worked as a detective and was commended for helping to bring to justice a criminal gang who committed high value antique burglaries against elderly vulnerable victims across the country.

In 2005, he first came to Yorkshire when he joined West Yorkshire Police on the force’s homicide and major inquiry team.

Five years later he moved to Greater Manchester Police where he was was chief superintendent.

In 2016 he returned to Yorkshire as the assistant chief constable at South Yorkshire Police and helped oversee a turnaround where it’s now one of the highest rated forces in the country.

He is married to a serving detective constable in West Yorkshire Police and has a daughter and two sons.

Mr Forber said:

“I am passionate about policing, and it is all I have ever known in terms of my professional career. I believe that North Yorkshire Police has the potential to be truly outstanding.”

Tory mayoral candidate pledges to pilot facial recognition cameras in Harrogate

The Conservative candidate for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has pledged to introduce controversial facial recognition cameras to catch criminals. 

The cameras, which scan people’s faces in public and compare them with people on watch lists, has been hailed by some as a way to improve policing. But others have concerns about human rights and discrimination.

Keane Duncan said he wanted to test the technology across the county, if elected.

The mayor will take on powers from North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, which will be scrapped.

Mr Duncan said trials elsewhere in the country had found the cameras can cut the time required to identify criminals and missing people from days and months to “just minutes”.

He added that he wanted to pilot the technology in York, Harrogate and Scarborough.

Mr Duncan said:

“I want to embrace new technology to revolutionise the way in which policing is conducted in North Yorkshire.

“From apprehending dangerous criminals to locating vulnerable people, live facial recognition cameras represent an effective tool in the arsenal of our police. 

“With potential to free up valuable manpower so officers can have a greater presence on our streets, I want the cameras to be tested here in North Yorkshire.”

The cameras are used by the Metropolitan Police in London.

According to the force, the technology was used to help arrest 10 people for offences including threats to kill, recall to prison for robbery, and possession of an offensive weapon in Croydon on December 14, 2023.

The technology uses a CCTV feed from a police van linked to facial-recognition software. 

The police upload photos of wanted criminals and the software creates an alert when a biometric match is found. The match is then reviewed by a police officer to confirm its accuracy. 

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An election for the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is expected to be held in May this year.

The Labour Party has selected York businessman David Skaith as its candidate for the role.

Pateley Bridge businessman Keith Tordoff has announced he will stand as an independent candidate for mayor.

North Yorkshire councillor, Kevin Foster, will contest the election for the Green Party.

Police reissue appeal to find Harrogate wanted man

Police seeking a wanted man from Harrogate today re-issued a plea for help finding him.

North Yorkshire Police is still searching for Bailey George Samuel Townend, 21, who has been recalled to prison and is believed to be evading arrest locally.

He was released from prison on licence on November 1 last year after being handed a 51-week custodial sentence for burglary and theft.

The Probation Service reported that Townend failed to reside at approved accommodation in Leeds, thereby breaching his licence.

Today’s police statement said:

“Police enquiries are ongoing in the Harrogate and Leeds areas in the effort to return Townend to prison.

“Townend is described as white, 5ft 8in tall, slim build, with short brown hair and green eyes.

If you can help us track him down, please report information to North Yorkshire Police on 101, option 4, and speak to the force control room.

“For immediate sightings, dial 999 to ensure a rapid response.”

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online. Quote reference number.

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Leeds United footballer banned from driving after speeding in Harrogate

Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson has been banned from driving after speeding in Harrogate.

Aaronson, 23, of Victoria Avenue, was caught speeding at 37 miles per hour in a Mercedes-AMG on the A6040 Knaresborough Road near the Stray on March 12, 2023. The speed limit for the road is 30 mph.

He admitted the offence in September last year.

A hearing was held at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning, but Aaronson was not present.

Magistrates ordered the United States international to pay a £666 fine, £266 surcharge and £90 in court costs.

Aaronson already had 10 points on his licence, which was endorsed with a further three points and he was disqualified from driving for six months.

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The 23-year-old is currently on loan at German side Union Berlin from Leeds United.

He joined the club on July 9, 2023, after the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League.

Aaronson made 36 appearances for Leeds last season and scored one goal.

He joined United from Red bull Salzburg in May 2022 for a reported £25 million fee.

Harrogate woman jailed for chasing supermarket staff with drug needle

A Harrogate woman who chased supermarket staff with a drug needle after they tried to stop her stealing alcohol has been jailed for 19 months.

Prolific shoplifter Julie Ruth Rutherford, 54, became aggressive after staff tried to stop her stealing two bottles of alcohol at the Asda store on Bower Road, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Eleanor Guildford said that when staff members confronted Rutherford and asked her what was inside her bag, she hurled abuse at them and poured the contents of the bag onto the floor, which included needles.

Rutherford, who had bedevilled local supermarkets for years, picked up one of the needles and “began to sprint” after the store manager, shouting:

“I’ll give you a needle! I’ll stab you with it.”

Ms Guildford said the store manager, who was named in court, was caused a great deal of distress and anxiety. When he tried to block her path outside the store, Rutherford punched and threatened to stab him.

Ms Guildford said he had recognised Rutherford as she had stolen from the supermarket on “multiple” previous occasions.

As Rutherford tried to escape, she damaged two plant pots, added the prosecuting barrister.

She was arrested five days after the incident which occurred on the afternoon of November 24 and was captured on CCTV.

Rutherford initially denied the offences, claiming she had “no knowledge” of the incident because of her chronic alcohol addiction.

The store manager said the terrifying episode had had a profound impact on his mental health and his sleep, and he often had nightmares about the incident.

41 previous convictions

Rutherford, of Strawberry Dale, was charged with affray, criminal damage and theft. She admitted the offences which were in breach of a 12-month suspended prison sentence imposed in late October for shoplifting.

She had 41 previous convictions for 85 offences, more than half of which were thefts.

Ms Guildford said the shoplifting incident which occasioned the suspended sentence in October occurred in “very similar circumstances” to the incident at Asda four weeks later.

She said Rutherford had a “propensity to commit offences of the same nature” and use the same sort of “tools”, namely needles, to cause people fear of violence.

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Defence barrister Gabrielle Wilkes said Rutherford was “highly embarrassed” about her behaviour and had wanted to be remanded in custody for her own good.

She said Rutherford had endured a traumatic adulthood exacerbated by the death of her sister four years ago and becoming homeless.

She said that Rutherford was a drug addict and alcoholic who was now seeking help for her problems.

Time she ‘learnt a lesson’

Judge Sean Morris told Rutherford:

“I accept you had a tough life, but lots of people have tough lives and they don’t behave like you. It doesn’t give you the right to terrorise people with needles.”

Mr Morris, the Recorder of York, said Rutherford had cost the courts and authorities thousands and thousands of pounds over the years by her inveterate thievery.

He said it was time she “learnt a lesson” and gave her an 18-month jail sentence for the affray, with one month consecutive for breaching the suspended sentence.

Rutherford will serve half of the total 19-month sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

Police release CCTV image after Harrogate bike theft

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after the theft of a bike in Jennyfields.

The incident happened outside the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre on Jenny Field Drive at 10.45am on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

The victim locked his electric bike in the bike rack and when they returned they discovered that the bike had been stolen.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to, as he may have information that could help the investigation.

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

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

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230192233.”

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Police appeal after 14-year-old injured in Harrogate collision

Police have appealed for witnesses after a 14-year-old girl was injured after a collision in Harrogate.

The incident happened on Otley Road near to Queens Road and West End Avenue at 4.45pm on Tuesday, December 12.

Officers said a black motor vehicle collided with a 14-year-old girl who was a pedestrian. Following the collision, the girl attended hospital for treatment.

The driver, who is described as aged between 60 and 70-years-old, bald and was wearing all black clothing did stop at the scene but didn’t leave any details.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Police are now requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, officers are appealing for information about anyone that witnessed the collision or anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage.

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

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

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230236668 when passing information.”

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Ripon businesses given new radios to tackle crime

Ripon businesses are being given new radios to help combat crime.

The number of businesses with two-way Apex radios has more than doubled in the past few weeks, from 12 to 27.

Ripon Business Improvement District has funded the radios for its members as part of an attempt to take a proactive approach to crime.

Shopkeepers can use the radios to alert a central CCTV room in Harrogate to focus CCTV cameras directly onto potential shop thieves.

North Yorkshire Police have also agreed to carry the radios, where resources allow.

The scheme also operates in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Kelly Hirst at the Black Swan is among those involved in the scheme.

Participating businesses are sent the names and photographs of suspected shoplifters four times a year.

The radios can also be used to find missing people.

A Ripon resident with dementia was found safe after the radios were used to report their disappearance.

Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon BID, said:

“We want to make sure Ripon isn’t seen as a soft touch for shop theft.

“We want to get ahead of the curve and ensure we don’t ever have an issue.”

Ms Bathurst also suggested it could help keep women working alone or in small teams safe.

Despite these safety measures, Ripon has a low crime rate.

The data analysis website CrimeRate reports that Ripon’s crime rate is 45% lower than Yorkshire and the Humber as a whole.

It is also 28% lower than the national crime rate.

However, shoplifting is more slightly more common in Ripon than the rest of North Yorkshire.

Ripon BID is funded by city centre businesses who pay a levy on their business rates. The organisation then runs initiatives to boost the city centre for traders.

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