north yorkshire police Archives - Page 136 of 141

Man cautioned for distributing ‘distressing images’ of Harcourt Drive incident

Police have arrested and cautioned a man in relation to distributing images on social media of an incident on Harcourt Drive near to Harrogate town centre.

One man was taken to hospital for treatment and another was pronounced dead at the incident last Sunday. Multiple police cars, ambulances and an air ambulance were called out to the street at around 7.15pm.

DI Steve Menzies, senior investigating officer at North Yorkshire Police, has since reassured residents that the incident was “tragic and isolated”.

Now, police have said they have arrested and cautioned a 42-year-old man for distributing “distressing images” of the incident.

In a statement, police said:

“We have been made aware that following the incident on Harcourt Drive in Harrogate on Sunday (August 23) distressing images of the incident were shared through social media.

“We would like to reassure the local community that the distributor of these images, a 42-year-old Harrogate man, has been arrested and cautioned.

“Sharing images of this nature will not be condoned under any circumstances and we would strongly urge anyone who is in possession of the images to delete them immediately.”

Over 20 arrests made on district roads last weekend

The police made 20 arrests over a single weekend on roads around Harrogate, Knaresborough and Skipton as part of a campaign to tackle drink driving.

The highest reading of the weekend was 144ug/100ml – over four times the legal limit – by a women from the Knaresborough area driving in York.

Operation Attention follows a summertime peak in drink driving. The efforts by the police are to put on a “show of force” to deter drink or drug drivers and catch offenders.

A total of 23 arrests were made between August 14 to 17. Out of those arrests, 10 were found to be over the legal alcohol limit – 35ug per 100ml of breath.

Other offences included speeding, with one driver caught driving at 80mph within a 30mph zone.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton from the Road Policing Group said:

“The results send a clear message that if people choose to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and break the law, there are consequences to your actions and officers will catch you. We are here to protect the public’s safety on the roads of North Yorkshire and by catching these people. The local community can be confident that these drivers will pay the price by being given lengthy bans, significant fines and even prison sentences.”

Last weekend’s operation involved specialist road policing officers, special constables and local policing teams and more than 50 drivers were stopped.

The operation has ran from July 13 to August 16, a total of 171 people have been arrested for drink and drug drive offences across North Yorkshire.

Routine traffic stop in Pannal leads to three modern slavery arrests

Police officers made three arrests connected to modern slavery after pulling over a car in Pannal at 3 am last night during a routine traffic stop.

Following checks on the Audi A4 and the occupants, a 47-year-old man from Leeds and a 32-year-old woman from Birmingham were arrested for suspected modern slavery and people trafficking offences. They have been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

A 23-year-old woman from Leeds was also arrested for possession of a Class A drug. No further action was taken against her and officers have provided safeguarding support.

The police is asking anyone who may have information that could assist its investigation to call 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room quoting the reference number 12200148140.

Modern slavery is thought to be one of the most lucrative forms of organised crime, with the International Labour Organisation estimating its global annual worth at £150 billion.

Modern slavery can come in many forms, including forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced criminality linked to drugs.

Exclusive: Harrogate MP aide and councillor at centre of £1 million Porsche investigation

The Stray Ferret can reveal that a councillor in the Harrogate district and case worker for Andrew Jones MP is at the centre of a police investigation into missing Porsches where victims lost out on a total of more than £1 million.

Gmund Cars Ltd, which was based at the Nidd Valley Business Park, has since gone into dissolution. Andrew Mearns was the owner. Conservative Cllr Samantha Mearns had “significant control” which she gave up in December 2018.

The company started in 2006 and built up a strong reputation as a place which bought and sold classic Porsche cars. The six alleged victims the Stray Ferret spoke to said it started to unravel in 2018.

Andrew Jones MP endorsed the shop as an “amazing business” on December 1, 2018 at the time when Gmund Cars Ltd allegedly started to transfer ownership of cars without the owners’ permission. There is no suggestion that Andrew Jones MP was aware of the allegations when the above picture was taken. Mrs Mearns remains as his case officer.

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The administrator’s report from June 2020 found more than £1 million in claims stacked up against the business with only £15,000 in assets.

North Yorkshire Police is investigating the allegations and arrested a man in his fifties in July last year. He has not been charged and the force released him under investigation.

The Stray Ferret has spoken to six alleged Gmund Cars Ltd victims. Some said they lost out on medical treatment, time away from work to see terminally ill parents or their entire pension pot as a result of not receiving money from the sale of their cars.

Six alleged Gmund Cars Ltd victims speak out

Matt Saphier believes that he is the earliest victim. He took his Porsche 911 valued at more than £80,000 to Gmund Cars Ltd back in May 2017.

After many months of waiting, Mr Saphier received a DVLA notice to say that his car had changed ownership in November 2018. He claims he did not give permission for the sale and Gmund Cars Ltd never sent him the money. Mrs Mearns still held her position of “significant control” in the company in that period.

Anthony Place also claims he lost out on more than £52,000. He took his Porsche 924 Carrera GT to Gmund Cars in August 2018 to be sold on a ‘Sale Or Return’ basis.

Anthony Place’s simple message: Where’s my money?

The DVLA sent Mr Place a notice in March 2019 to say his car had changed ownership but he also never received any money from the sale. After a couple months of pestering Mr Place lost his patience.

Mr Place decided to head down to Gmund Cars Ltd for an open day where more than 200 people were in attendance. He printed t-shirts, painted on the side of one of his other cars and even paid for a plane to carry a banner. The message was simple: “Where’s my £52,495 Gmund?”

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I personally feel quite battered and bruised by this. I may be able to bounce back from this loss and some of the other victims were left devastated. This car sale was supposed to fund my time off work. My plan was to go part time so I could spend some time with my terminally ill parents.”

All alleged six victims were critical of the police’s handling of the case and urged the force not to drop its investigation.

The Stray Ferret has approached both Samantha Mearns and Andrew Jones MP for a comment. Andrew Jones MP did not reply by the time of publication.

Samantha Mearns told the Stray Ferret:

“I was a shareholder in my husband’s business until December 2018. When the business was put into administration in June 2019, allegations were made which resulted in a police investigation. As far as I am aware the investigation has concluded with no further action being taken. I was never interviewed in relation to any of the allegations.”

Golden wedding anniversary necklace stolen from 95-year-old in Harrogate

An elderly woman had a necklace of high sentimental value stolen in a distraction theft in the centre of Harrogate.

The necklace – which was given to her by her husband on their golden wedding anniversary – was taken when the 95-year-old victim was near the HSBC Bank in Cambridge Street.

The woman was with her husband near the HSBC Bank on Cambridge Street when she was approached by two women who attempted to engage the couple in conversation. After the women had left, the victim realised her necklace was gone.

The incident happened on Tuesday, August 11 at around 11.15am and police are now appealing for help to trace two suspects from CCTV images. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the people in the CCTV images as they believe they may have information which could help the investigation.”

Police want to speak to this woman following a distraction theft in Harrogate town centre.

Police are trying to trace this woman following a distraction theft in Harrogate town centre.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Colin Steele or email Colin.Steele@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12200139244 when passing on information.

Residents ‘gobsmacked’ after Harcourt Drive incident

Residents said they were left “gobsmacked” after an incident on Harcourt Drive which left one man dead and another in hospital.

Police were called to a serious incident on the street at 7.15pm on Sunday evening. Multiple police cars attended and an air ambulance was called out.

Officers have since reassured residents in Harrogate that the incident was “tragic and isolated”.

Max Melville, who lives on Christ Church Oval behind the street where it happened, said he was left shocked and “gobsmacked”. He added the area is normally quiet.

Mr Melville said:

“I was having Sunday lunch when I heard someone screaming.

“It’s a really quiet area in town and there is nothing that goes on around there. They are all nice people there and never in a million years would I think that this would happen around here.”

Meanwhile, other residents at the scene were told by officers to move away from the scene and stay inside their homes.

One local resident told the Stray Ferret:

“Nothing like this happens around here.

“We came outside and were asked by an officer to move along. Another lady came out but was asked to go back into her house.”

This morning, DI Steve Menzies, senior investigating officer at North Yorkshire Police, reassured residents that officers were not looking for anyone in connection with the incident.

He said:

“I want to reassure the residents of Harrogate that this is a tragic and isolated incident and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to the family of the man who sadly lost his life.

“I would like to appeal again to anyone who witnessed, including recording, the incident or events leading up to it to get in touch by calling 101, quoting reference 12200147262.”

Police said investigations are ongoing and no arrests had been made.

Police reassurance over ‘tragic and isolated’ Harcourt Drive incident

North Yorkshire Police has reassured people in Harrogate that an incident on Harcourt Drive yesterday was isolated and officers are not looking for anyone in connection with it.

Police confirmed in a statement that one man was pronounced dead at the scene and another was being treated in hospital.

Multiple police cars and ambulances attended the incident at around 7.15pm on Sunday evening. An air ambulance was also called out to the incident.

DI Steve Menzies, senior investigating officer at North Yorkshire Police, said this morning:

“I want to reassure the residents of Harrogate that this is a tragic and isolated incident and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to the family of the man who sadly lost his life.

“I would like to appeal again to anyone who witnessed, including recording, the incident or events leading up to it to get in touch by calling 101, quoting reference 12200147262.”

North Yorkshire Police said investigations are ongoing into the incident. One local resident said people were asked to move away from the scene and return to their homes while officers dealt with the incident.

They said:

“Nothing like this happens around here.

“We came outside and were asked by an officer to move along. Another lady came out but was asked to go back into her house.”

Man dead after incident near Harrogate town centre

Police have confirmed that one man has died and another is being treated in hospital after a serious incident near Harrogate Town centre last night.

Police and the ambulance service attended the incident on Harcourt Drive near believed to be a double stabbing.

Multiple police cars and ambulances attended the incident at around 7.15pm on Sunday evening. An air ambulance was also called out to the incident.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“Around 7.15pm this evening police attended an incident on Harcourt Drive, Harrogate.

“Two men had sustained injuries, one is currently being treated in hospital and the second man was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

Investigations are ongoing and North Yorkshire Police is asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident to call 101, quoting reference: 12200147262.”

One local resident said people were asked to move along from the scene and return to their homes while officers dealt with the incident.

They said:

“Nothing like this happens around here.

“We came outside and were asked by an officer to move along. Another lady came out but was asked to go back into her house.”

North Yorkshire crime commissioner estimates £1.6m coronavirus shortfall

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has estimated a loss of around £1.6 million in income this year for the county’s police force due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The commissioner’s office said the estimated figure was an “early indication” and included areas such as a loss in speed camera income and no sports events to police.

In a report to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, the commissioner’s office said it feared a lower collection rates for council tax could also leave a gap in finances in future.

It comes as both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council have also estimated their own financial gaps as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The report said the PFCC was preparing for financial uncertainty amid the pandemic and that it would keep the plans under review in the coming months.

Michael Porter, chief finance officer at the commissioner’s office, told a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel:

“I think it would would be no surprise if I were to say that it is challenging times for all public sector organisations and organisations wider than that and some of that will start to play through into some of the financial reports.

“I think in terms of those challenges, you can see in relation to some of income forecasts at this point in time that there are a significant number of areas of concern for us in relation to some of the receipts we were expecting to receive in the current financial year.

“Forecasting for this year, we might be around £1.6 million short from an income perspective. That is a very early indication of those forecasts. There is an awful lot of information that we do not have in those areas. We are trying to be as robust as we can.”

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

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire PFCC, said the force needed more certainty from central government over funding.

She said:

“We are in a very uncertain environment at the moment and the biggest risk that we have got which will be shared with local authority colleagues is council tax receipts and the impact that may have on our finances.

“That is applicable to both fire and policing. Although, I have to say, from a covid point of view the fire service is probably in a more robust position.

“We have lost quite a lot of revenue from various different parts from policing in particular and we would hope that some of that lost revenue will be compensated for.”

‘I found more than 30 pellet wounds in my cat’

A woman who lives near Thruscross Reservoir has found more than 30 pellet wounds in her cat.

Clare Brandstrom found her one-year-old cat Elvis in the garage on Wednesday morning in a bad state.

She believed that an animal had attacked him so took the cat to the vets. The vet examined him and found pellets all over his body.

They managed to remove around 10 pellets near the surface of his skin but did not remove the ones which were more embedded.

The vets are hopeful that Elvis will manage to survive with the pellets in his body provided that the wounds do not get infected.

It is not the first time that Mrs Brandstrom has found her cat with gunshot wounds. Her other cat Jarlie also lost an eye a few years ago.

Mrs Brandstrom told the Stray Ferret that she has reported this latest incident to the police and added:

“It is really alarming. I thought at first that animals had done this to Elvis. When we found out that he had been shot we realised we were right. The person responsible is an animal. Elvis is such a gentle cat, he would never hurt anything. He is still purring now and it breaks my heart.”

Heather Eastham worked on Elvis at Crab Lane Vets in Harrogate and told the Stray Ferret:

“There is no way that anybody could mistake this young cat for any other animal. We believe that this was a malicious attack. It is just disgusting to see. This is definitely one of the worst cases we have dealt with. I have never seen this many pellets in an owned cat before.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police has appealed for anyone with information that could identify the culprit to call them on 101 with reference 12200139610.