Police appeal for information about dead Knaresborough man

The coroner’s office is appealing for information to find the family of a Knaresborough man who died at home this month.

Police officers have been unable to trace the family or next of kin of Brian George Abbott, 73, who died on October 15.

Mr Abbott, who lived in Finkle Street, was discovered after a concerned neighbour raised the alarm when post began to build up at his home.

His death is not believed to be suspicious.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed to anyone who knew Mr Abbott or has any information that could help find his family to contact the coroner’s office.

You can do so by calling 01609 643614 or emailing coroner@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

 

Police appeal after four caravans stolen in Coneythorpe

Police have launched an appeal after four caravans were stolen in Coneythorpe overnight.

The four Swift caravans were taken from a premises in the area between 6.30pm on October 7 and 6.30am the following day.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information that may assist with the investigation.

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Describing the thieves’ actions after breaking in, a North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“Once there, they have removed locks, alarms and trackers from four Swift caravans and caused extensive damage to a fifth, before driving off over a field back onto the road.

“Police are appealing for any information that could assist in this investigation – for example, if any vehicles were seen in the area, and any footage from CCTV in nearby villages.

Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two, and ask for PC528 Pierre Olesqui. You can also email pierre.olesqui@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200176598.

Police consider ‘covid cars’ as part of enforcement

North Yorkshire Police may introduce “covid cars” to respond to complaints about breaches of coronavirus rules.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire police, fire and crime commissioner, said today the move was being considered after her office received £291,897 from the government last week for covid enforcement.

The proposal would see police officers assigned specifically to respond to complaints from the public, such as licenced premises breaking coronavirus restrictions.

Ms Mulligan told a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel that other plans being considered included greater use of overtime and additional patrols in covid hot spots.

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The force will submit final proposals to the Home Office as part of the funding allocation.

Mrs Mulligan said covid cars would respond to calls from members of the public around covid concerns, particularly about licensing regime and problem premises.

Julia Mulligan, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire

She said:

“For example, where residents have concerns about the way that they are behaving. Cars can be deployed to those sorts of things.

“It is a discreet amount of funding for a specific purposes. It isn’t additional funding for the force to cope with the whole of covid.”

It comes as Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for police response to covid, said the force had seen demand return to pre-covid levels.

North Yorkshire Police has issued the highest amount of fines for breaches of coronavirus rules. But the force has not handed out any fines for face masks or breaches of the rule of six,

Under coronavirus legislation, police have the power to issue £60 fixed penalty notices to anyone breaching restrictions. The sum is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

Superintendent Walker told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum yesterday:

“What is important to remember is, as I have said before, the demand for normal police services has returned to pre-lockdown levels.

“Previously when we were in full lockdown, we had much more resources to be out and reassuring the public and enforcing the health protection regulations.

“With demand going back to what it is now, clearly we have to risk assess every report that comes in whether it is normal police demand or if it is covid related demand.”

Police officer: ‘No knife crime problem in Ripon’

A senior officer, with responsibility for policing in Ripon, has reassured people the city does not have a major problem with gangs after a mother expressed concerns.

The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret she and other parents feared Ripon was witnessing an increase in gangs, violence and intimidation.

There have also been recent incidents of vandalism, including the breaking of windows in the city centre and damage caused to the surface of a children’s playground in Grove Lane.

The mother said:

“The impression that I and other mothers I meet have is that there is a growing gang culture, which links into drug taking and dealing.

“It can be intimidating seeing groups of youths, some on bikes, congregating in parts of the city late at night and we are concerned that some might be carrying knives. We fear that somebody is going to be hurt and believe that something needs to be done.”

Inspector Steve Breen, (pictured above) who presented a report to Harrogate Borough Council in March on actions taken by North Yorkshire Police to tackle knife crime, said he wanted to assuage concerns and introduce a sense of proportion.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We have essentially eradicated knife crime in Ripon through proactive use of stop and search tactics and intelligence-led disruption activity, leading to the imprisonment of some key individuals.”

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He added

“This problem existed within a small group of drug users and dealers across the district and did not impinge on innocent members of the public. There is no problem with knife crime in Ripon.”

Regarding the vandalism that temporarily closed the children’s playground, Insp Breen said:

“I reinforce the message that parents need to know where their children are, who they are with, and what they are up to.

“I urge the public to report issues they are concerned about via 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

“We are active in suppressing antisocial behaviour through home visits to problem individuals, the issuing of cease and desist letters, and working with schools, social workers, youth charities and other partners to engage and divert young people from nuisance activity.”

 

Warning to parents after police seize ‘drug-laced sweets’ in Ripon

Four teenagers have been arrested after “drugs disguised as sweets” were seized in Ripon yesterday afternoon.

Police stopped a vehicle in the city around 4pm and arrested the four on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, money laundering and weapons offences.

Among the items seized during the arrests were what appeared to be sweets – but officers strongly believe they are laced with controlled drugs.

Suspected drug-laced sweets Suspected drug-laced sweets

Three of the arrested teenagers have been released under investigation and the fourth has been bailed while enquiries continue.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Police are extremely concerned that anyone consuming these items could be at risk of serious harm, and are asking parents to be particularly vigilant, and ensure their children understand the risks.

“These so-called ‘edibles’ pose a risk to young people across York and North Yorkshire. Anyone who has any information about the supply of illegal drugs in any form is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Your call could literally save someone’s life.”

Police issue warning after rise in ‘romance fraud’

Police are warning residents in North Yorkshire to be on their guard against ‘romance fraud’, which saw victims in the county lose almost half a million pounds in the last year.

North Yorkshire Police said it received almost 70 reports of romance fraud in the year to August 2020, with victims losing more than £426,000 in total.

It is part of a national rise in the crime, with Action Fraud saying there had been a 26% increase in reports of romance fraud in the last 12 months.

North Yorkshire Police financial abuse safeguarding officer Andy Fox said:

“Romance fraud is where someone creates a fake online profile and after gaining the trust of an individual, uses their relationship to request sums of money. Fake profiles will often feature photos taken from other people online and may pose as a US army officer or businessman based overseas.

“Monetary sums will be requested to pay for urgent medical care or even plane tickets to visit the UK, usually alongside a story designed to elicit sympathy and on the promise of it being repaid.”

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Although cases often begin on dating websites, there have also been instances where fraudsters have used gambling sites to make contact with people who could become victims.

Andy said:

“The individuals who undertake romance fraud are highly skilled in both earning trust and cultivating what feels like a loving relationship so the impact on victims can be huge – financially and emotionally. We’re urging anyone using online dating to be vigilant to the signs and also to look out for friends and family, helping safeguard them from becoming victims.

“There can be a perception that the people who fall victim to romance fraudsters are of a certain age or gender but the reports we receive show that literally anyone can be taken in by these calculating criminals. We’ve seen both men and women targeted with some as young as teenagers right up to those in their eighties.”

Police warned anyone who meets someone online to be careful before trusting them. In particular, they said fraudsters might:

Anyone who thinks they may have become a victim to romance fraud should immediately stop all contact with the person and report them to North Yorkshire Police or Action Fraud. Andy added:

“We know that romance fraud is underreported for a number of reasons but one can be that victims feel embarrassed they have been taken in by these fraudsters. There is absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed and the police are here to support you.

“Not only can we give you advice and guidance to ensure you don’t become a victim again. All of these reports help us to build a profile of how romance fraud is undertaken so we can try to stop it happening to others in future.”

 

North Yorkshire named as birds of prey blackspot

North Yorkshire has retained the dubious honour of being the UK’s worst blackspot for killing birds of prey – a grim title it has retained for a decade.

Birdcrime 2019, a report by the RSPB, said the county had the highest number of raptor persecution incidents in the UK. It was responsible for 15 of the 85 confirmed cases.

Many of the case studies the RSPB cited were recorded in Nidderdale.

In 2019, a hen harrier was found shot dead on a grouse moor in Nidderdale. The bird, named River, had a tracking device and had two pieces of shot lodged in its body.

In the same year a red kite was also found poisoned just outside of Pateley Bridge.

The killings have continued into 2020, with the shooting of a buzzard, the poisoning of a red kite and a dog all near the town.

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The report highlights how many birds of prey in the UK are shot, trapped or poisoned, despite it being a criminal offence.

The charity said there had been a spike in incidents since lockdown and called for stronger regulation, including a review of grouse shooting.

North Yorkshire Police has issued several appeals for information about the killings of birds of prey but have found it difficult to prosecute.

 

Harcourt Drive death ‘not suspicious’, say police

North Yorkshire Police has said it is not treating the death of a man on Harcourt Drive in Harrogate last month as suspicious.

Multiple police cars and ambulances attended the incident at around 7.15pm on Sunday, August 23.

One man was certified dead at the scene and another taken to hospital.

Police subsequently cautioned a 42-year-old man for distributing “distressing images” of the incident on social media.

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Now officers have confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner’s office.

Detective inspector Steve Menzies, senior investigating officer at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“The overarching circumstances will be for HM Coroner to rule upon but this is a very sad incident where the deceased has inflicted injuries on himself and caused injury to his relative who tried to help him.

“Despite valiant attempts by neighbours, police and ambulance staff to administer first aid in a traumatic situation, his injury proved to be fatal.

“This was an isolated and tragic incident and North Yorkshire Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with it. Thankfully the injured man is making a good recovery. The full circumstances will be heard at the inquest.

“Subsequently a Harrogate man was issued with a police caution for attending the area and posting live images of the incident on social media as first aiders were desperately trying to save the man’s life. Such actions show no compassion or thought for those involved, are distressing for extended friends and family and will not be tolerated.”

No face mask fines, but police pledge to tackle Covid breaches

North Yorkshire Police warned today it will take action against people who break new coronavirus restrictions – even though so far it hasn’t issued any fines for breaches of rules on face masks and gatherings.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for NYP’s response to Covid, told a press briefing that demand for policing had returned to pre-lockdown levels.

He told the briefing by North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of agencies that tackles emergencies, officers would use enforcement as a last resort.

Superintendent Mike Walker said the force hasn’t issued any fines for breaches of rules on face masks and gatherings.

But it has issued 1,151 coronavirus penalties, including five for people failing to self-isolate. The vast majority were for non-essential journeys at the start of lockdown.

Under coronavirus legislation, police have the power to issue £60 fixed penalty notices to anyone breaching restrictions. The sum is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

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Superintendent Walker said officers would expect the public to understand the latest restrictions, including the rule of six.

He said:

“It is important to note that this [new restrictions] does place additional pressure on us when our demand has returned to pre-Covid levels.

“The police will enforce as a last resort. But we expect the public to understand what the restrictions are and to abide by those restrictions.

“Those who choose not to abide by the restrictions should expect police action.”

It comes as the number of coronavirus infections in the Harrogate district has increased in recent weeks in line with the national trend.

The number of cases hit a three-week high yesterday, with 19 positive cases in 24 hours.

North Yorkshire County Council has asked care homes to restrict visits for the month of October in an effort to protect residents.

 

Police charge Harrogate woman, 72, after major cannabis find

Police have charged a 72-year-old Harrogate woman with producing cannabis after a raid in the town at the weekend.

North Yorkshire Police attended reports of a disturbance on Saturday evening and found “cannabis littering the entire street” on Alexandra Road.

The officers investigated a house on the road and discovered a “large quantity” of cannabis plants inside.

Not long after the police also discovered two other cannabis grows on Somerset Road and on Woodlands Road.

1/3 *Last Night*
Attended a street in #Harrogate following the report of some vehicle disorder. At scene we have found a large quantity of cannabis littering the entire street. A nearby property was identified as insecure and evidence of a substantial Cannabis grow found.. pic.twitter.com/AVmpFtgw83

— Just Dave! (@PC_769) September 27, 2020

Six other suspects travelling in two vehicles left the scene of the original incident on Alexandra Road but Hertfordshire Police intercepted and arrested them.

The six people were charged with possession of class B drugs with intent to supply. They were sent to court, which remanded them in custody.

A man in his 20s was also arrested on Monday and has since been released on bail, taking the total number of arrests up to eight.

The 72-year-old woman was charged with three counts of cannabis production and awaits a trial at crown court on bail.