Jail for Harrogate man who supplied drugs on electric scooter

A Harrogate man who was caught with Class A drugs while riding an electric scooter was jailed for two years and three months today.

James Latham was caught by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s drugs team Operation Expedite on King’s Road on the afternoon of September 25 this year.

A police media release today said officers saw two known drug users being approached by Latham. The three people walked behind a shop and out of view. Within seconds one of them returned and was seen placing an item in their mouth.

Officers suspected a drug deal had just taken place, with Latham supplying the drugs.

Latham, who was riding on an electric scooter, was stopped a short distance away. He was searched and found to be in possession of a large amount of cash and suspected illegal drugs.

Heroin and cocaine

Following his arrest, officers found drugs paraphernalia at Latham’s Harrogate home, along with heroin and cocaine with a street value of over £700, and a significant amount of cash.

Latham, 44, was remanded in custody and brought to court where he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Through mobile phone analysis, investigators were able to show Latham was involved in the supply of class A drugs, and had a customer base within the Harrogate area.

At York Crown Court today, Latham was given a custodial sentence of two years and three months.

After the sentencing hearing, PC Christopher Thompson, of Operation Expedite, said:

“The sale of illegal drugs will not be tolerated on the streets of Harrogate. It causes untold misery and suffering, and forces people who are addicted to them to commit other serious crimes to feed their habit.

“Latham was willing to exploit other people’s addictions for his own cruel and selfish gain.”

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Met Office issues Christmas Eve wind warning for Harrogate district

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning across the Harrogate district for Christmas Eve.

The forecast shows Masham and Pateley Bridge will see the worst of it, with gusts up to 53mph, while Harrogate will see 51mph winds in the early hours of the morning.

Knaresborough, Ripon and Boroughbridge could see up to 50mph.

The warning, which is active from 8am to 10pm, covers the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland.

It comes just days after Storm Pia brought 60mph winds to the district.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate district care firm wins £28m domiciliary care contract

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

A care firm that operates across the Harrogate district has won a seven-year contract worth £28 million to provide domiciliary care on behalf of Sheffield City Council

Springfield Homecare provides care to people who want to keep living in their own homes.

It is part of Springfield Healthcare Group, which operates across Yorkshire and the rest of northern England.

Besides its domiciliary care business, it operates seven care homes including Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate.

Graeme Lee, the group founder and chief executive, said he was delighted with the award of such a major contract. Mr Lee, who lives in Harrogate, said:

“We want Springfield to be the best regional provider of care in Yorkshire and the north-east.”

North Yorkshire Council this month approved Springfield Healthcare’s planning application to convert the grade two listed Grove House into a luxury care home.

Harrogate business support groups to resume in January

New support groups for businesses in the Harrogate district are set to start in January.

The York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub will be hosting peer-to-peer support groups aimed at helping firms grow.

The programme, which is facilitated by Next Step, runs weekly for six weeks and comprises three cohorts, based in either Harrogate or Ripon.

In addition, there is one hour of one to one discussion in advance of the course to assess the business’s needs and two hours of one to one bespoke support.

For more information on the support groups and to apply, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.

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Harrogate restaurant and hotel under new ownership

A Harrogate hotel and restaurant is under new ownership.

The Studley Hotel and The Orchid Restaurant, on Swan Road, have been acquired by local restauranteurs — but their names have not been revealed.

A spokesperson for the Orchid said the new owners, who wished to remain anonymous, have “extensive refurbishment” plans for both venues and want “to make the interiors of the restaurant as good as the food”.

Both sites will remain open during the refurbishments, the spokesperson added.

They also said the restaurant, which serves Asian food, will remain “unchanged” to ensure it keeps its loyal customer base.

Neil Mendoza, the general manager of the Orchid who has been involved with the restaurant since he was 13, said:

“This is a very exciting time for the Orchid.

“I am thrilled that it has been purchased by a family with over four decades of experience as restauranteurs, who share a passion and deep respect for Far-Eastern cuisine.

“Having been a part of the Orchid since my early teenage years, I have built lasting relationships with our valued guests. In the new year, we will commence our refurbishment, redesigning the interiors to celebrate the essence of Far-Eastern and Pan-Asian cuisine, complementing the standard of our exceptional dishes.”

The four-star Studley Hotel will also undergo a makeover, with work expected to finish in spring 2024.

The family behind the acquisition added:

“We feel incredibly fortunate to have acquired this fabulous restaurant and hotel.

“While there are countless Chinese, Thai, and Asian restaurants, the Orchid stands out due to our brigade of chefs, lead by Head Chef, Jim, who has been with the Orchid for 10 years.

“Each of our chefs specialise in different cuisines from diverse regions of the Far East. This is a genuine Pan-Asian culinary adventure prepared by true specialists.”

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Police appeal after second cyclist knocked off bike in Harrogate

A female cyclist has sustained minor injuries following a collision near Asda in Harrogate.

The incident, which took place between 5.15pm and 5.30pm on Friday, December 15, happened at the junction of Bower Road and Haywra Street.

North Yorkshire Police said it is now appealing for the driver of a grey Ford Focus to come forward.

It is the second police appeal involving am injured cyclist issued today.

It comes after another cyclist was knocked off their bike in Knaresborough on Monday.

Regarding the Harrogate appeal, the force said in a statement:

“A pedal cyclist entered Bower Road and was hit by the Ford Focus that had just exited Asda supermarket.

“The driver of the Ford stopped at the scene and spoke with the cyclist, however, they had left prior to police involvement.

“Officers are appealing for them to come forward along with any witnesses and anyone who may have dashcam footage.

“The driver and anyone with any information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident number 12230240822.”

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Harrogate paedophile jailed for 13 years for historic sex offences

A serial sex offender from Harrogate has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for twice subjecting a young girl to indecent assault in Northallerton during the 1990s.

John William Marshall, 68, of Fairfax Avenue, was sentenced at York Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of offences at a trial in August.

He has also been made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

A North Yorkshire Police media release today said the bravery of the victim ensured Marshall faced justice, despite the number of years that have passed.

The victim made contact with police in 2019 following publicity surrounding the conviction of Marshall for possession of more than 24,000 indecent images of children, for which he served a custodial sentence and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order. which was due to expire.

Marshall had previously been described publicly by a judge as a “dangerous paedophile”.

The court heard that Marshall had befriended the victim’s family, offering help with their newly acquired computer.

He was subsequently trusted to look after the girl when her parents went shopping.

It was during these times that Marshall sexually assaulted her.

The victim’s parents reported it to police and social services at the time, but no further criminal action was taken due to a series of complications.

Victim thought she would not be believed

Now an adult, the victim’s life had been overshadowed by the thought that she was not believed.

Adam Harland, cold case review manager at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“In coming forward, the victim has now had her voice heard, her evidence believed by a jury, and she has obtained the conviction of the man who had grossly and indecently abused her as a child.

“Sadly, we believe there could be further victims of Marshall out there. We urge them to get in touch, just like the courageous victim in this case has.

“As you can see, time is no barrier to getting justice for victims of child sexual abuse.

“If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, whether it is happening now or in the past, please contact the police.”

Mr Harland added:

“We appreciate that telling the police what has happened takes immense courage and it is never easy reliving extremely distressing experiences.

“We understand this and that’s why we have specially trained officers who will guide you every step of the way and provide access to the full range of professional support services that are readily available.

“In coming forward, we can get you the help you need and ensure offenders like Marshall cannot go on to hurt anyone else.”

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Rare mother of pearl clouds above Harrogate and Knaresborough

Nacreous clouds, a rare and very high cloud formation, covered the Harrogate district skies this morning.

The iridescent clouds, which are also knows as mother of pearl clouds, were spotted by readers just after sunrise.

The Met Office says the clouds, which usually form over polar regions when the sun is just below the horizon, are some of the highest clouds on earth – between 20km and 30km high in the stratosphere.

The sky over Knaresborough this morning. Pic: Emma Meadus

They require low temperatures to form, so are generally only visible when the cold air which circulates around polar regions in the stratosphere is displaced and hovers over the UK.

They are mostly associated with dry and cold weather.

The Harrogate sky just after 9am. Pic: Anna Mcintee.

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Trees down as Storm Pia hits Harrogate district

Gusts of over 60 mph are causing disruption in the Harrogate district this morning. A Met Office weather warning is in place for wind until 9pm but the strongest gusts are forecast this morning, with Greenhow Hill near Pateley Bridge already recording 63 mph.

A tree came down on the A59 Knaresborough Road near Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough and rail operator Northern has said its trains are running at reduced speed on several lines and to check before travelling.

Let us know how the storm is affecting you by emailing us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

2.05pm – Harrogate ice rink closed for rest of day

The Ice Rink Harrogate will be closed for the rest of today due to high winds.

A Facebook post from the operator said:

“The Ice Rink is closed for the rest of the day (21/12/23) due to the high winds. We will open as usual tomorrow.

“All people booked on any session affected will be contacted by email to change their booking to another day before the 8th of January. 

“Thank you for your understanding.”

1:23pm Tree down on the Oval in Harrogate

Storm Pia has caused a large tree to fall down on the Oval in Harrogate.

 

12.10pm Harrogate ice rink closed

High winds forced the closure of Ice Rink Harrogate, the temporary Christmas feature in Crescent gardens.

A social media post by the firm operating it said:
“Due to the high winds the Ice Rink is closed until 2:30pm today. A further review will take place at noon. All people booked on any session affected will be contacted by email to change their booking to another day before the 8th of January.”

11.58am: 40,000 customers affected, says Northern Powergrid 

Northern Powergrid, which delivers electricity on behalf of suppliers, has said 40,000 customers in the north-east, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire have been affected by Storm Pia. It said in a statement:

“Our teams responded quickly and have already managed to reconnect more than 28,000 of those who have been impacted. We will keep customers updated regularly via text message, on our website and on our social media channels.”

It added West Yorkshire had suffered the most impact so far.

10.55am: Local attractions closed today

Remember, Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough and the National Trust-owned Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal near Ripon are closed today due to high winds. The horticultural charity RHS Garden Harlow Carr has also cancelled its Glow event tonight and offered a full refund to people who had bought tickets.

9.25am: Storm damage at Crowne Plaza in Harrogate?

A reader has sent us these photos of apparent storm damage at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Harrogate.

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9.05am: Tree down on edge of district

Bus driver Jonathan Ruston, pictured below, has been helping with clearing a fallen tree he encountered this morning.

He said it was on the A659 going into Otley, past the garden centre, just before Otley town centre.

Pic Jonathan Ruston

7.30am: Four stalls open at Ripon Market 

Most stallholders have kept away from Ripon Market, which usually takes place on Thursday, except for a fruit and veg stall, a fishmonger, baker and a cheese seller.

Fishmonger Martin Carrick out early this morning serving regular customers Darren and Janet Ratcliffe.

Fishmonger Martin Carrick, whose family has been working at the market for 80 years, said:

“We will. be here for he full day, we have a large vehicle that isn’t affected by the wind like the stalls are and we are looking forward to serving people with their Christmas orders.”

His brother Kevin Carrick, who operates a fruit and veg stall, was also on duty as normal. He said:

“This is our most important market of the year in Ripon and I hope people read the Stray Ferret and know that we will be here all day.”

Kevin Carrick at his fruit and veg stall this morning.

The Stray Ferret has been monitoring Storm Pia and previously reported the closure of several local attractions, including Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon and Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough.

Harrogate’s RHS Garden Harlow Carr has cancelled its Glow event amid the weather warning.

Stay tuned for further updates.

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Harrogate heroin and cocaine dealer jailed for over three years

A heroin and crack-cocaine dealer from Harrogate has been jailed for over three years.

Scott Bradley, 36, was arrested after patrol officers in Harrogate town centre came across a group of suspicious-looking men, York Crown Court heard.

The group were “huddled” around Bradley in Bower Street in what appeared to be a drug deal, said prosecutor Jemima Stephenson.

Bradley appeared to discard a plastic bag into the hedgerow behind him. He was quickly arrested and searched.

Extra police units were called in after one of the men in the “huddle” walked up to police to try to distract them.

Police seized a tin of white powder from Bradley who claimed it was bicarbonate of soda. They also seized two mobile phones, one of which was “constantly ringing”, some tablets, two sets of weighing scales and £180 cash.

Police searched the vicinity and found a snap bag containing “multiple” wraps of white and brown powder which turned out to be heroin and cocaine.

Bradley refused to reveal his address so his home couldn’t be searched. He was released under investigation following the drug bust on January 2 last year.

In January this year, police were called out to an address in Harrogate on an unrelated matter and Bradley answered the door. He was arrested again and found to be in possession of heroin.

On October 13, he was arrested again following a police response to another “unconnected” matter at a property in Harrogate.

Bradley became “twitchy” during the police search and tried to put his hand in his pocket, whereupon officers found some white rocks which turned out to be crack cocaine in a zip-sealed bag. They also found three wraps containing illicit substances and some weighing scales.

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The drugs found on Bradley during the searches following his initial arrest included heroin, cocaine, crack and cannabis.

Messages on his phones showed he had been dealing cocaine, crack and heroin between Christmas 2021 and his arrest in January last year.

He ultimately admitted three counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, possessing criminal cash, several counts of simple possession of Class A drugs and one count of possessing a Class B drug.

30 previous convictions

Bradley – formerly of Hargrove Road, Harrogate, but currently of no fixed address – appeared for sentence yesterday (Wednesday, December 20) after being remanded in custody.

The court heard he had 30 previous convictions for 60 offences including cannabis production. At the time of his latest drug offences, he was on a community order, imposed in January this year, for burglary.

Defence barrister Jade Bucklow said that Bradley had been using drugs for over 10 years, “progressing from cannabis and alcohol to heroin”.

She said he started dealing to pay off a “large” debt to his drug dealer after he lost his job.

Ms Bucklow said that his dealer had smashed the windows at his then family home and threatened to set the property ablaze if he didn’t pay off the debt.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, told Bradley his offences were “pernicious” because drug-dealing “eats away at society” and led to so much associated crime and collateral damage for those who become addicted.

He added:

“You chose to deal drugs rather than obtain money by legitimate means and if you swim with sharks, you get bitten.”

Bradley was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

 

 

 

RHS plans Harlow Carr service yard redevelopment

The Royal Horticultural Society has tabled plans for a major redevelopment of its service yard at Harlow Carr in Harrogate.

The organisation plans to build a workshop and machinery store, composting store, staff welfare building, events store, poly tunnel and glasshouse on the site.

In proposals lodged to North Yorkshire Council, the RHS said the redevelopment would help to support the “operation of the garden in a highly sustainable way”.

It added that the current facilities at the service yard were “nearing the end of their economic life” and in poor condition.

The site would continue to be used for horticultural support staff at the gardens, the documents added.

In plans submitted to the council, it said:

“As an existing operational site, the redevelopment of the horticultural service yard will improve the functionality and sustainability of the RHS garden. 

“The design of the proposal will support the objectives of the Harrogate Local Plan to support business and tourism expansion in existing locations, whilst respecting and improving the character of the wider landscape and positively enhancing the natural and built environment.”

The Stray Ferret contacted the RHS to ask how much the redevelopment would cost.

In response, a spokesperson for the RHS said:

“The RHS has numerous projects to develop all of our sites. At RHS Garden Harlow Carr, we are improving our existing nursery and staff facilities to make them more efficient, and therefore more sustainable and greener.

“We are unable to give an estimate on costs due to ongoing discussions with proposed contractors.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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