Police have issued photos of a man they want to trace after a report that a man performed a sex act on himself near the River Nidd in Knaresborough.

The incident happened in view of members of the public in a wooded area near the river in Nidd Gorge while a number of people, including children, were nearby.

It took place on the afternoon of August 10 last year, but North Yorkshire Police has only today issued the photos.

The man is described as white and aged between 50 and 60. He was naked apart from dark-coloured hiking boots, a baseball cap and a black watch. Police said he had noticeable tan lines around his legs and was carrying clothing in his left hand.

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Officers now want to speak to the man in the photos as they believe he will have information to help with the investigation. A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“The incident is one of a number of similar incidents reported over the past year and officers are looking into whether or not the incidents are connected.”

Anyone who can help to identify the man in the photos is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Alex Langley, or email alex.langley@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, to report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 and quote reference number 12200150877.

A Harrogate man who was “smiling” while he exposed himself to a woman in February 2019 has been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

James Bryant, from Sunnybank Shaw Mills, parked at a Harrogate filling station and waited until all the cars had left before entering the shop and performed the lewd act to the female cashier.

During his trial in November, heard at York Crown Court, Bryant avoided jail and was given a suspended sentence.

The case returned to virtual court today because the judge didn’t make an order for Bryant to be put on the register during the trial.

Judge, Sean Morris, placed Bryant on the sex offenders register for 10 years. This sentence comes with notification requirements this means any changes such as new addresses must be updated.

Bryant didn’t appear in court today due to a technical glitch with his video link.

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During his initial sentencing the court was told the incident lasted half a minute with CCTV showing Bryant “briefly smiling” at the victim before walking out and driving away.

He was arrested two weeks later and was found to be keeping a machete, hunting knife and a lock knife in the boot of his car.

Bryant had a previous conviction for flashing in 2016 when he was convicted of indecent exposure at Bournemouth Crown Court.

The court was told Bryant had mental health problems, his defence Aisha Wadoodi said his problems were largely “of his own making” due to his “heavy use” of cannabis.

Police are searching for a man who exposed himself to members of the public in Bilton yesterday.

The incident, which occurred near a pond close to the sandy banks of the River Nidd, off Bilton Lane, was reported to the police at 2.42pm.

Police have stepped-up patrols in the area to try to find the man, who it is believed has indecently exposed himself previously this year.

North Yorkshire Police is asking people to come forward with possible sightings of the man – either clothed or unclothed – or with details of any suspicious behaviour along the riverbank or in nearby woodland between 2pm and 4pm yesterday or recently.

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The man is described as white with a short dark-brown beard, aged in his 30s or 40s, about 6ft tall with a muscular build. He was wearing a mid-blue baseball cap.

Inspector Alex Langley, of the Harrogate neighbourhood policing team, said:

“This is clearly very worrying and disturbing behaviour and we are doing all we can to locate the suspect.

“If anyone has information that could assist the investigation, please get in touch immediately so we can take action.

“It is always best to make a report straight away and to provide as much detail as possible about the location so we can target our searches. Ideally, this will include accurate data from smartphone maps or apps such as What3Words.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the force control room.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Quote reference number 12200232879.

A Harrogate man who exposed himself to a petrol station cashier then performed a lewd act in front of her has been spared jail.

James Bryant, 38, parked at a Harrogate filling station and waited until the last car had left the forecourt before walking into the shop and baring himself in front of the woman.

CCTV footage showed Bryant “smiling” during the incident, prosecutor Rob Stephenson told York Crown Court.

The woman called police, who located Bryant about a fortnight later and found a machete, hunting knife and a lock knife inside his boot during a search of his vehicle.

The court heard that Bryant, a heavy cannabis user, had effectively been living out of his car after losing money in cryptocurrency and failing to land a job after moving from Cambridge to Harrogate.

‘Afraid for her life’

Mr Stephenson said the incident at the petrol station occurred just before 7pm on February 27 last year, when Bryant waited “for about one minute” for the forecourt to clear before homing in on the lone female shop worker.

The incident lasted about half a minute as the shocked and “distressed” victim told Bryant to get out.

“The defendant can be seen briefly smiling at (the named victim) before walking out and driving away,” said Mr Stephenson.

Police enquiries revealed that Bryant had driven into another filling station just before the incident but left immediately because it was busy.

They identified Bryant from CCTV footage and he was arrested about two weeks after the incident when an officer spotted his vehicle in Harrogate.

During a search of his car, police found the three knives in the boot surrounded by household items belonging to Bryant.

He said he had been driving around with the knives inside his car since moving home two months previously.

The victim said she was “afraid for her life” and initially frightened to return to work.

“She now locks the shop door in the evening and only allows people in if she feels confident in her safety,” added Mr Stephenson.

Lost £50,000 on cryptocurrency

Bryant, of Sunnybank, Shaw Mills, ultimately admitted outraging public decency and possessing the knives. He appeared for sentence on Monday.

The court heard that Bryant had a previous conviction for flashing from 2016 when he was convicted of indecent exposure at Bournemouth Crown Court. He had one other conviction for cannabis possession.

Aisha Wadoodi, for Bryant, said her client hadn’t been given proper rehabilitation since his last conviction.

She said that Bryant had mental health problems largely “of his own making” due to his “heavy use” of cannabis and “itinerant” lifestyle.

“He moved from Cambridge to Harrogate and thought there (would be) employment (but) there wasn’t,” she added.

She said character references from family members “spoke of a completely different side to him” and that Bryant had suffered a “series of misfortunes” in his life — including the loss of more than £50,000 in crypto currency – which had “triggered” his behaviour. He was now claiming Universal Credit.

Cannabis warning

Judge Sean Morris told Bryant:

“You clearly have a problem and it’s a major problem. It’s probably self-induced from the use of cannabis, which people do not realise can trigger major problems very easily, and the sooner people realise that this isn’t a pleasant little recreational drug, the better.”

Bryant was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years so he could get help for his mental health problems.

The judge also accepted there were no “sinister” motives behind the machete discovered in Bryant’s car, where he kept “all his worldly possessions”.

Bryant was also ordered to complete a 40-day rehabilitation programme and a 90-day sex-offending prevention course.

Police are appealing for information after a man exposed himself on the Stray in Harrogate at the weekend.

It happened near Slingsby Walk, which runs between Oatlands Drive and Wetherby Road, near the ginnel through to St Winifred’s Avenue, on Sunday afternoon between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

A man has been arrested and police are continuing to make enquiries. A spokesman said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. In particular, we are appealing for information from any person who witnessed anybody behaving inappropriately in that area around the time of the reported incident.”

Police have also warned the public to be careful about sharing material and speculating about the incident while the investigation continues, after people posted about the incident on social media on Sunday evening.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two, and ask for Jon Everitt. Alternatively, email jonathan.everitt@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

To report information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200104912.