Harrogate man Daniel Ainsley found guilty of murder

A 24-year-old man has been found guilty of murder on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate.

Daniel Ainsley, of no fixed address, killed 48-year-old Mark Wolsey after stabbing him 15 times in the chest and arm with a kitchen knife on March 5.

Ainsley was living in Mr Wolsey’s bedsit at 38 Mayfield Grove after he became homeless.

He admitted manslaughter, but denied murdering Mr Wolsey on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to an “abnormality of mental functioning”.

However, a jury at Leeds Crown Court delivered a verdict of guilty verdict for the murder charge today.

Police were first called to 38 Mayfield Grove on the night of March 5 after Mr Wolsey made a 999 call asking officers to remove Ainsley from his flat because he was scaring him.

Ainsley had been living with Mr Wolsey since being made homeless.

He complained to the officers who arrived at the property that Mr Wolsey was keeping his medication from him, which led to an argument.

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Ainsley was taken to Harrogate District Hospital to pick up medication by police and instructed not to go back to the flat.

At 9.21pm, Ainsley left the hospital and was filmed on CCTV walking to Asda on Bower Road.

After entering the supermarket, he went to the kitchenware aisle where he purchased a box of knives. Ainsley used his own bank card to pay for the knives and went outside to dispose of all but one of them.

Ainsley then returned to Mayfield Grove where he stabbed Mr Wolsey to death, leaving the victim in his chair with the murder weapon still in his chest.

Mark Wolsey

Mr Wolsey was found by neighbours and certified dead at the scene at 10.22pm. His cause of death was stab wounds to the chest.

After leaving the bedsit, Ainsley made a phone call to police admitting to the killing and asking for officers to come and arrest him. He also called his mother and father to tell them he “loved them” and that they would not “see him for a while”.

‘A clear case of revenge’

The prosecution during the trial described the murder as “premeditated”, “goal-directed” and “purposeful”.

Mark McKode QC, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court:

“There can be no doubt that the defendant intended to kill Mark.

“The defendant knew exactly what he was doing and did it in a calm and calculated way.”

Ainsley has a personality disorder, which his defence claimed “impaired his ability to form a rational judgement” and resulted in diminished responsibility.

The court was told that Ainsley had a “traumatic upbringing”, which contributed to his personality disorder.

He was also suffering from alcohol dependancy. There was evidence that Ainsley was intoxicated on the night of the murder.

Both parties in the case agreed that Ainsley was suffering from an “abnormality of mental functioning”, which was his personality disorder.

However, Mark McKone, prosecuting, said Ainsley “knew what he was doing was wrong” and pointed to his 999 phone call after the killing and as evidence.

He said:

“This was a clear case of revenge.”

Ainsley is due to be sentenced on November 24.

Beech Grove closure officially extended until August 2022

North Yorkshire County Council has officially extended the closure of Beech Grove by 18 months in a bid to encourage cycling and walking.

The experimental closure has been in place since February. The council said at the time it would end in August 2021 but it will now stay until August 2022.

Ahead of August 2022 the council will take a formal decision on how to move forward with Beech Grove.

The closure of Beech Grove has been controversial. Some see it as the way forward but others believe it just shifts traffic onto other roads.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“Taking into account the consultation responses, traffic survey data, ongoing site observations and other active travel measures in Harrogate, we have decided to maintain the modal filters until summer 2022.

“A reduction in traffic levels on Beech Grove has resulted in a reduction in the speed of vehicles and an increase in cyclists.

“The various lockdowns have had an impact on traffic levels.

“So an extension means we can collect further data before a decision is made on whether to make the measures permanent or set aside the scheme.”

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Cllr Mackenzie believes that when other projects on Otley Road, Station Parade and Victoria Avenue are all complete there will be a further increase in cycling in Harrogate.

Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper also said:

“We appreciate that some local residents remain sceptical about these new sustainable transport measures. But extending the trial is important to be able to make an informed decision.

“We cannot pretend that traffic congestion, poor air quality, a diminishing environment and climate change can be solved without radical changes.”

Harrogate new build owner defends development after negative publicity

A resident has defended a new build housing estate on Harlow Hill following claims that it was built with poor energy efficiency.

Dan Waters lives in a house on Taylor Wimpey‘s Harlow Green development with his wife and daughter. He told the Stray Ferret that around 100 homeowners were unhappy with how the development was portrayed on Channel 4 News and in our subsequent article, and that they could damage the value of properties.

An energy-efficiency consultant claimed on Channel 4 that one of the homes was badly insulated, cold and a potential fire risk.

The daughter of an 82-year-old woman who bought the home claimed she was so cold due to draughts that she was forced to wrap up in warm clothes.

Mr Waters said that when he moved into his home in 2019 there was a draught, but this was quickly rectified by Taylor Wimpey, which tightened the windows. He said the report “doesn’t stack up” with his experience of living there.

He said:

“Heating bills are low. It’s so warm now it’s untrue.”

Mr Waters is concerned the negative publicity surrounding the report could affect house prices for residents in the future.

“It’s an exclusive site, we spent years worth of money to be here. They are our dream houses.

“In that instance [on Channel 4 News] it was draughty and she was elderly, it wasn’t ideal but it was very much an isolated incident.

“But Taylor Wimpey do jump on things quickly. If there’s a problem, they fix it.”

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Mr Waters was disappointed by social media comments on the Stray Ferret article and said new builds had an unfair reputation for poor quality.

“Blanket statements were attached to the article, such as ‘new builds are all shoddily built’ or ‘they are drafty and will fall to bits in 10 years’.

“It’s farcical. Every house was once a new build.

“With new builds you are always going to get the odd niggle. They haven’t had 100 years of settling down.

“These were stone-built to a high level, and the price tag reflects that.”

Taylor Wimpey told the Stray Ferret it was working with the homeowner featured in the Channel 4 News report for a “fair outcome”.

A spokesperson said:

“At Taylor Wimpey we take sustainability incredibly seriously with a clear environmental strategy including ambitious science-based targets covering our business activity and the efficiency of the homes we build.

“We design our homes to be energy efficient and to accord with the energy requirements as set out in the building regulations. These afford a necessary level of air movement within the home and its structure for the purpose of adequate ventilation and air quality whilst ensuring they remain as energy efficient as possible.

“A permeability test was undertaken on the property by an independent consultant, the results of which demonstrated the home is outperforming the intended design criteria.” “We are committed to delivering high-quality homes and providing excellent service to our customers.

“We acknowledge that sometimes we get this wrong and recognise that in this instance, aspects of the customer’s experience did not meet the high standards we expect. We are guided by the principle of doing the right thing and continue to engage with the customer to gain access to the property to investigate certain outstanding queries in order to reach a fair outcome.”

Harrogate hospital staff shortages delay schools vaccine programme

The rollout of covid jabs to 12 to 15-year-old pupils in Harrogate schools has been delayed, amid fears they now won’t happen until February.

The government initially said all children in that age group would be offered jabs by half-term, which starts this weekend.

Harrogate’s Ashville College issued a statement today saying vaccinations were due to be supplied and administered by the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust childhood immunisations team on school premises.

The independent day and boarding school added:

“Ashville College can confirm there is unfortunately a delay to the roll-out of the 12 to 15-year-old covid vaccinations.

“The college has notified parents of this and will re-organise vaccinations on-site as soon as supplies allow. In the meantime, we have advised parents of pupils aged 12 to 15 to arrange their own vaccination at a drop-in clinic via the NHS website page, ‘Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination’.”

The college, which was unable to give an estimated start date, blamed the situation on vaccine shortages.

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But a spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said this was incorrect. They added:

“Whilst our covid vaccination programme for children aged between 12 and 15 is operating across North Yorkshire and areas in the North East, current staffing capacity has impacted on how soon we can visit some schools.

“We are continuing to develop our timetables and have given all schools a provisional date as to when we will be visiting and will notify them at least one week before our planned visit. Consent packs will be sent to families one week prior to the session. If the opportunity arises, we will look at bringing forward these dates so that we can undertake vaccinations sooner.

“We welcome the recent announcement that parents will now be able to check the NHS National Booking System to see if they can book a covid vaccination for their child at a convenient location, such as a vaccination centre.

“The booking service provides an additional choice alongside the school immunisation programme so that children can be vaccinated as quickly as possible.”

Two parents, who asked not to be named, have contacted the Stray Ferret today saying they have been told by their children’s schools that vaccines won’t be given now until February.

One parent said the Harrogate district’s vaccination programme was lagging five months behind other parts of the country.

“Why are we so far behind given that Harrogate is a hotspot for covid cases at the moment? How many young people will unnecessarily develop long covid as a result of these delays?

The district’s covid rate was 727 per 100,000 people yesterday — the highest in the county.

Queues for opening of new Hotel Chocolat store and cafe

Queues formed on James Street this morning for the opening of the new, relocated Hotel Chocolat store.  Around 30 people waited for the store to open at 10am with staff serving hot chocolate to them whilst they waited.

The new store is almost opposite the old one but is larger with a cafe that can seat 30 people at the back of the shop. The chocolate chain has seen rapid growth in recent years and the new store will have up to 15 staff in the run up to Christmas — double the number of the previous store.

The co-founder of Hotel Chocolat, Peter Harris, said there was demand in Harrogate for the store to expand:

” Harrogate is a beautiful location and town. The community here like to support local businesses. We’ve been here since 2009, people have loved it and wanted the full Hotel Chocolat experience of drinks and ices as well as a larger store.

“We’re also delighted that we can provide flat access for wheelchairs and buggies which is an improvement on the previous location, which had a step in it and was very narrow.”

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The new store is a boost for James Street which has seen mixed fortunes in recent years with loss of key brands such as Next and Laura Ashley.

Local businesses have expressed concern that plans to pedestrianise the top of the street as part of the Station Gateway proposal will be damaging for trade.  Harrogate Borough Council has argued that the plans will mean  “short-term disruption for long-term gain”.

James Ogden, a new recruit to Hotel Chocolat, said he was excited to be involved in a store opening:

“I’m super excited to be working in my local area – I love coming into work every day and making people happy with chocolate!”

James Ogden at the cafe bar in the new store.

 

Harrogate council chief receives OBE medal at Windsor Castle

Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Wallace Sampson collected his OBE medal yesterday from Prince Charles.

Mr Sampson was awarded the OBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list for services to business and the community in Yorkshire, but he had been unable to receive the award in person due to covid restrictions.

He was presented with a medal by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle.

Mr Sampson has worked in local government for over 35 years and became chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council in 2008. He was previously a director at Bradford Council for eight years where he helped to support regeneration programmes in some of the city’s most deprived communities.

Mr Sampson said the day was made “extra special” as he was accompanied by his proud mum.

“I was honoured to attend the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle to receive the OBE award from HRH the Prince of Wales. It was an occasion that will live with me for the rest of my life, made extra special by the fact that I was accompanied by my very proud mother.”

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New Harrogate Facebook group to promote community spirit not negativity

Bilton resident Ben Rothery has set up Harrogate Community Group to offer a platform for local people to look for recommendations, ask for advice and discuss where they live.

Community Facebook groups are loved and loathed. They can be a good source of local information but can also polarise opinion.

Mr Rothery said he wants his new group to be an inclusive space where can discuss living in Harrogate without fear of being criticised.

In January, he helped set up Bilton Community Group, which has fostered community spirit in the Harrogate suburb.

Mr Rothery said:

“The current Harrogate groups that exist serve a very different purpose to the Harrogate Community Group. Some of the groups allow conspiracy theories and breed a very hostile, bullying culture. Others are plagued by single issues like cycling. None of the groups are bad, they serve a purpose to a number of people that enjoy the content on them.”

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He said businesses will be allowed to advertise on the page on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mr Rothery added:

“What I see is a gap in the Harrogate online community for a proper community page. Where residents can ask for help, whether that be collecting some shopping or asking someone to collect a poorly cat its medication, but also where businesses can feel comfortable in advertising and promoting their own content to a wide audience.”

Mr Rothery wants the group to be a Harrogate-wide version of what he has created for Bilton.

“What we have done with Bilton Community Group has had huge effects on our area. People have never been as passionate and as active. Anyone who uses it knows it’s a welcoming, helpful and friendly environment for people to come onto and trust they won’t have 20 different people abusing them because they asked for a recommendation.”

£10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway will ‘boost business’

The £10.9 million Station Gateway will boost Harrogate businesses by enhancing the town centre, according to those leading the scheme.

An online consultation event last night gave people the first chance to ask questions about the scheme, which aims to transform the area around the bus and train stations and encourage more people to walk and cycle, since the latest designs were revealed this week.

The current proposals would see traffic on Station Parade reduced to single lane and James Street pedestrianised between Princes Square and Station Parade.

Work could begin next summer and last up to a year, causing major disruption to the town centre and reduced parking, which concerns some businesses still trying to recover from covid.

In response to a question about what assessment had been made about the impact of the scheme on businesses, Matthew Roberts, economy and transport officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said it was a case of “short-term disruption for long-term gain”.

He said case studies from similar schemes had shown they could boost trade by up to 40 per cent by making the town centre more attractive and making it easier to access for non-car users.  Mr Roberts said:

“Behaviours are changing and the town needs to evolve with it.

“The mixture of case study evidence and local evidence has led me to believe this will firmly benefit the town’s economy.”

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In a video message to the event, county councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the scheme, said the Station Gateway would provide a “great economic boost to the town centre but also boost sustainable travel”.

Chris Harris, who is leading the design team on the project, said changes to James Street would “significantly the feel of the street for people shopping and moving around on foot” and also enable more features such as trees and plants.

He said the scheme would also “make more of a feature” of the Victoria monument by making it more visible.

Mr Harris added the project had a “tight window” but there was “still an opportunity to update things as we move forward”.

What happens next?

A second online consultation event will be held from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday next week.

People can meet members of the project team face-to-face to discuss the plans at the Victoria Shopping Centre on October 27, October 29 and November 5. There is also a business-only event on November 1.

People can also fill in a form online giving feedback.

Details of the consultation, which runs until November 12, are available here.

Councillor Mackenzie will discuss the scheme with Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce on November 8.

Following the consultation, a final business case will be prepared before approval is sought to deliver the schemes.

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

Harrogate hospital reveals winter plans

Harrogate District Hospital has the capacity to increase its number of beds by 50 as part of winter escalation plans.

Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer and consultant in emergency medicine at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, revealed the numbers in an interview with the Stray Ferret yesterday.

Talking about the trust’s winter plans, Dr Shepherd said the hospital currently has 260 beds, 20 more than in summer, and has the potential to increase this to 310. Ripon Community Hospital has the capacity to increase beds from 16 to 20.

The hospital covid situation remains considerably better than last winter, when the number of patients in Harrogate with coronavirus peaked at 70, and during the first wave in spring last year, when the figure was about 40.  He said:

“Up to four or five weeks ago we had on average four or five patients with covid, then it crept up to 10 and then a couple of weeks ago it went up to 20. It’s trickled down in the last few days to 15.”

The Harrogate district currently has one of the highest covid rates in the country, with the seven-day rate currently 727 per 100,000 people.

But he pointed out that this time last year the hospital had cancelled many other services due to covid and this time staff were heading into winter dealing with coronavirus “on top of other things”.

‘Big impact’ of vaccines 

How worried is he about the months ahead?

“It’s a bit like when covid first arrived. It’s that fear of the unknown. Your imagination runs wild with worst case scenarios, which could be very difficult.

“But the vaccine programme has had a big impact. We are seeing far fewer covid patients in intensive care.”

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The hospital currently has eight beds in intensive care and four are being used. Last winter it had to increase the number from eight to 30 to cope.

After two previous waves of covid, the trust now has well rehearsed ‘flex’ plans to cope with fluctuating coronavirus patient numbers. Dr Shepherd said:

“We currently have half a ward devoted to covid patients. When we get to the mid-20s we convert a full 30-bed ward.”

Waiting list increase

He expects extra patients with other respiratory viruses this year because people are mixing more.

It spells difficult times ahead for staff, particularly as the district’s high infection rate has forced a lot of staff to isolate.

Like other NHS organisations, the trust is also dealing with recruitment problems. Dr Shepherd says shortages are often specific to certain areas, such as theatre staff and nurses.

It doesn’t sound like a good time for any of the trust’s 4,000 staff to put in requests for a fortnight in Lanzarote over Christmas. Dr Shepherd says:

“It’s the relentless nature of the last year and a half. The chances of proper rest haven’t been the same. Staff having to isolate is one of the biggest challenges now.”

The impact of lockdown is still being felt. The trust waiting list was 18,000 pre-covid. Now it’s 22,000. Dr Shepherd says the situation varies from department to department.

“There’s been good progress in some areas, for example scans, where we’ve really caught up and there is no real backlog. Also endoscopy.

“But some of the more complex operations take much longer to do and patients are still waiting much longer than they have done in the past in Harrogate and much longer than I would like. We are a small hospital and there are only so many operating theatres.”

Pressure on the emergency department has increased significantly, with most people now seen and either admitted or discharged within six hours rather than four.

Masks and vaccines enough for now

Medical organisations, including the British Medical Association, have said this week it’s time for the government to adopt winter planning now to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed by growing numbers of coronavirus cases.

Dr Shepherd says Harrogate and Ripon hospitals have “never stepped away from asking people to wear masks”.

Does he think it’s time for other measures?

“It’s important that we inform the public that infection rates are higher in the Harrogate district and the best thing they can do is attend vaccination clinics.

“Masks and vaccines are the first next step. If that’s not enough and we continue to see a rise we need to consider a more mandatory position.”

Gas leak: Harrogate told to reduce heating and showers again

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has once again asked Harrogate residents to reduce their use of central heating and showers following last week’s gas leak.

Engineers are on Ripon Road near the Co-op petrol station after customers reported low gas pressure in the HG1, HG2, HG3 and HG4 postcodes.

It is unclear how long the engineers will be on site working the fix the problem. In the meantime, the gas company has urged people to avoid all “non-essential use”.

NGN did not specify the cause of the low pressure and loss of service but linked it to the major gas leak which started on Friday and continued into the weekend.

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A spokesperson for Northern Gas Networks said:

“If you live or work in the area affected, we are asking once again to please temporarily minimise your use of gas while work is underway.

“By avoiding all non-essential use, people can help ensure there is enough gas in the system to go around everyone.

“That means trying not to use central heating, and avoiding taking showers if you have a combi boiler, until further notice.”

The gas company has asked anyone with boiler issues or those who need help turning gas back on to call its customer care team on 0800 040 7766 and select option three.

However if you smell gas then call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.