‘Predatory paedophile’ Knaresborough owner of Queen Ethelburga’s School jailed

A Knaresborough man and the owner of Queen Ethelburga’s School near York will go to prison for more than three years for two incidents of non-recent child sexual abuse.

Brian Richard Martin, 71, from Ferrensby near Knaresborough, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today following a retrial.

He was originally on trial in 2018 for sexually assaulting of a boy in the late 2000s. This trial also acquitted him of six other child sexual abuse offences.

At another retrial in 2019, he was found guilty of indecent assault on a girl in the early-to-mid-1990s.

Martin has been jailed for three years and three months and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Bevington, who led the North Yorkshire Police investigation, said:

“Despite significant investment being made in the school, all this served to do was to create an environment that Martin could exploit for his own sinister gains.

“He preyed on the vulnerability of the students and was able to manipulate circumstances which allowed him to sexually abuse two children who were boarding students.”

The police said his success in business meant he could buy the school and move it from Harrogate to the Thorpe Underwood Estate, where he living with his family.

DS Bevington added the school was supposed to be safe for young students but instead they were “harmed so significantly by someone in a position of trust”.

He praised the bravery of the victims who spoke out:

“They have had to give evidence in open court about the most vulnerable and traumatic experiences of their lives and re-live the dreadful abuse that was forced upon them many years ago when they were just children.

“The courage and conviction behind their evidence has led to Brian Martin being publicly exposed as the predatory paedophile that he really is.

“They have finally had justice for what they have had to endure for so long.”

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To seek advice and further support, or report child abuse, you can contact one of these organisations:

Central Harrogate has lowest first covid vaccine uptake in district

Central Harrogate has the lowest uptake of a first covid vaccine in the district, according to government figures.

Public Health England has created an interactive map showing the percentage of adults who have had a vaccine by area.

According to the map, Central Harrogate had a first dose uptake of 68% by the end of yesterday.

Dishforth, Baldersby and Markington had the next lowest figure, at 76%.

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Knaresborough South and Follifoot had the highest uptake with 88% of adults receiving a first dose.

Spofforth, Burn Bridge and Huby also had a high percentage with 87%.

Overall, the Harrogate district has a first vaccination uptake of 81%.

Latest figures show 115,907 people have had a first jab and 95,768 have had a second.

Five highest first dose uptake areas:

Five lowest first dose areas:

Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning. It’s Leah with you this morning updating you every 15 minutes on how the transport links are near you.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, will show you where the traffic hotspots and temporary traffic lights are and tell you of any train and bus delays.

Let us know if you experience any delays on 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update 

That is all from me this morning, I will be back with you tomorrow from 6.30 with updates every 15 minutes. Have a lovely day.

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7am – Full Update 

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6.45am – Full Update 

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6.30am – Full Update 

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Number of covid patients at Harrogate hospital falls to two

The number of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital has fallen to two, despite a sharp rise in infections in the district.

In a sign that the vaccination programme is working, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today there are now fewer covid patients at the hospital than last week, when there were three.

The number of cases of the Delta variant in the Harrogate district has nearly quadrupled in the last two weeks. The district’s seven-day rate of infection is now 155 per 100,000, just below the England average of 159.

Despite the steep rise, the hospital has not faced the same pressures as in previous waves. At the peak in February, there were 68 covid patients at Harrogate hospital.

According to the latest NHS England figures, the hospital’s last covid-related death was reported on April 11.

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Ms Bloor also said today that Ripon racecourse vaccination site, which opened in February, is due to close in August.

The closure of the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre in Harrogate this month has seen many people travel to Leeds, York or Bradford for jabs, although there are pharmacy sites in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

Ms Bloor said pop-up vaccination sites could open in the district this year.

She said:

“We want to be able to flex the programme as sites and vaccines allow.”

Knaresborough and Starbeck pools: still no reopening dates

There are still no firm dates for the re-opening of Knaresborough Pool and Starbeck Baths.

Lockdown restrictions eased to permit swimming pools to re-open on April 12. However, 11 weeks on neither council-run pool has reopened since.

A problem with the pool filters at Knaresborough forced it to remain closed.

The manufacturer, based in Spain, was unable to send engineers to fix the equipment due to covid travel bans.

Harrogate Borough Council eventually decided to replace the filters, rather than delay the opening further, at a cost of £27,000.

In its latest monthly newsletter to residents, the council said Knaresborough Pool was “set to open in July ahead of the school summer holidays” although no precise date was given.

The council recently advertised for a new duty manager at the pool as well as new lifeguards.

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Meanwhile, there has been no update on when Starbeck Baths will reopen.

The council previously said the baths would open “shortly” after Ripon Spa Baths. The Ripon pool reopened in May and there has been no update on Starbeck since.

The Stray Ferret understands staffing may be an issue at Starbeck as a number of employees have either left or been seconded to new roles.

‘Shocking’ anti-trans graffiti daubed in Knaresborough toilet

Anti-trans graffiti has been written on a public toilet near Knaresborough Castle.

The message was spotted yesterday afternoon in the Castle Yard car park toilets by a woman who was visiting the town with friends.

The use of single-sex toilets has become a battleground for trans rights issues in recent years.

Trans rights campaigners believe that trans people should be able to use the toilet in whichever gender they identify as, however there has been pushback against this by some women who say it makes them feel uncomfortable.

The message read:

“Single-sex spaces matter. Trans women are men. Male pattern violence doesn’t decrease if a man ‘feels’ like a woman.”

Jess, who asked us not to use her surname, tweeted her disappointment at the message:

“What kind of hatred do you have to feel in your soul to write this…in the car park toilet of Knaresborough Castle?”

“Trans women are women and if your issue with trans women is male pattern violence then your issue is not with trans women your issue is with predatory men who would do anything to take advantage of or harm women.”

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Jess told the Stray Ferret that she found graffiti at about 2pm and it looked like someone had tried unsuccessfully to wipe the word ‘men’ from the message.

She described the sentiment of the message as “very vitriolic”, adding:

“And in such a strange place, it was really shocking to sit down and see it.”

Leanora Wassel, chair of local LGBT charity Pride In Diversity Harrogate said there was some anti-trans feeling in the area but graffiti was rare.

She said:

“We as a community find anti-trans abuse abhorrent. It’s important we stand together.”

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the car park, said today the graffiti had been removed.

Knaresborough seven-year-old’s art to be shown in London

A seven-year-old boy from Knaresborough will be having his artwork shown at an exhibition at the Royal Academy in London this summer.

Conor Steward, who attends Aspin Park Academy in the town, won a competition entered by his school to have his drawing shown as part of the Young Artists’ Summer Show.

A panel of artists and arts professionals choose his drawing of a heron from thousands of submissions to join a selection of artworks displayed online and on-site at the Royal Academy of Arts.

His drawing of a heron was inspired by his love of wildlife, which has grown over the course of lockdown.

He previously had a drawing of an otter published after winning a competition in a children’s nature magazine.

Conor with his heron drawing, which will be shown at the Royal Academy in London in the summer

Conor said:

“I am so excited and happy about going to London to see my picture on display.”

Conor is allowed to sell his picture for £20 and wants to donate any money raised to Macmillan Cancer Support.

His piece was framed by Andy Grinter, who owns Green Dragon Framing in Knaresborough.

The Young Artists’ Summer Show is open to the public from from July 13 to August 8.

The poppies blow in a field near Knaresborough

These colourful images of a field of poppies were shot recently by Knaresborough photographer Dick Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd, who is a keen landscape photographer, captured the wild flowers on land near Staveley, which is just north of Knaresborough.

The birth of his granddaughter Esme prompted Mr Lloyd to take up photography three years ago.

He now focuses on landscape photography in and around Knaresborough, as well as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

Do you have any fabulous photos of the Harrogate district? We’d love to see them. Send them to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

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Knaresborough set for by-election after Conservative councillor resigns

A by-election is set to be held in Knaresborough’s Scriven Park ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor, Samantha Mearns.

Cllr Mearns won the seat on Harrogate Borough Council in May 2018 with a majority of just 16 votes.

Liberal Democrat candidate, Matthew Walker, came second with 441 votes and the Labour Party’s Andrew John Wright picked up 291 votes.

A total of 36% of the 3,266 electorate voted.

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The by-election, which has yet to be announced by the borough council, will be the first to take place in the Harrogate district since the Bilton and Nidd Gorge election for North Yorkshire County Council last month.

In that election, the Conservative candidate Matt Scott gained the seat from the Liberal Democrats with a majority of 352 votes. The turnout was 37%.

The borough council by-election comes as Cllr Mearns has stepped down from the borough council over family reasons.

She made the announcement to residents over the weekend.

The Stray Ferret understands that Knaresborough resident Jacqui Renton will stand in her place for the next election.

Plan submitted to extend Knaresborough caravan park

Plans have been submitted to extend a holiday park in Knaresborough with 28 caravans.

The proposal by Lido Leisure Parks would see the Low Bridge Holiday Park, Abbey Road, expanded.

Documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council say the plan would the see the development built on Orchard Cliffs on Briggate.

As well as the holiday lodges, car parking and access is also included in the application.

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The current holiday park includes 36 privately owned static caravans.

The site layout for the caravan park in Knaresborough as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council.

The site layout for the caravan park in Knaresborough as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council.

In a design and access statement lodged to council, the developer said:

“Detailed and careful consideration has been given to the proposals. The proposals create a development that not only respects the site and its surroundings but also provides a high quality and well considered place to live and holiday.

“The proposal will be a valuable investment in the town’s tourism offer.”

The borough council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.