Police have named a man found dead in Harrogate this week as Aaron Atkinson.

The 38-year-old’s body was discovered at a property in Harrogate in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Two men, aged 46 and 40, arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery, have now been released on bail.

North Yorkshire Police said investigations into the death are continuing and further forensic tests are being carried out, but detectives are treating it as suspected murder. Officers have reassure the public that it was an isolated incident.

North Yorkshire Police has said that some of the county’s weekend visitors think they are immune to coronavirus after handing out 61 fines on Saturday and Sunday.

Malham again appears to be a hot-spot for visitors and made up for 12 of the 61 fines this weekend.

Nine of those fines were issued to a group of men who had been preparing for a barbeque in Malham with plenty of food and drink to keep them going.

Some other visitors to the region this weekend who left with a fine were:

• A family from Sheffield who decided to take a trip to the Yorkshire coast, but broke down on the A64
• A group of off-road bikers from West Yorkshire who came to ride their bikes in Selby
• Four people from London visiting Dibbles Bridge with no good reason
• Five people from Leeds who had travelled to Lumby to have their picture taken next to a specific pylon

Officers were also busy responding to collisions across the region, one of which was near to Pateley Bridge and involved a group from Essex, who were left with minor injuries.

Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said:

“Sadly there seems to be a minority of people who think that they are immune to the COVID-19 virus and who choose to not only endanger themselves but also endanger others through their irresponsible behaviour.

“With a bank holiday approaching, we are already preparing for next weekend and rather frustratingly, based on our experience, we expect it to be a very busy weekend. Sadly, there will be no extended break or celebrations for our officers, who will be out in force.

“We will be carrying out our patrols and maintaining our commitment to keeping the public as safe as we possibly can and continuing to protect the NHS from the risk of a second wave of this deadly virus.”

North Yorkshire Police handed out 61 fines this weekend to people who were not following the coronavirus lockdown rules, despite numerous warnings to not visit the county.

31 fines were issued on Saturday to people visiting from West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and as far away as Kent. 17 fines were issued in Malham alone – with 13 being written in an hour.

A further 30 fines were handed out on Sunday, with officers issuing six fines in Brotherton to people gathering to go off-road biking. Other unnecessary journeys included a man travelling from Yarm to Wakefield to pick up paint and two men travelling to Bradford to view a car.

The police believe that in some areas the tide is turning in the wrong direction, with some now taking the decision to no longer stay at home and save lives

Speaking about this weekend’s enforcement Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said that

“Up until this weekend, the vast majority of both residents and visitors to North Yorkshire have acted responsibly and in accordance to government guidance and abided by the rules around only travelling for essential reasons. We need the support of the public and for some to realise and understand why they are being asked to continue to abide by the stay home rules. This virus is not yet beaten, the threat of a second peak of infection is very real, as we have heard from the Prime Minister himself this morning. That’s why we must keep on going – to protect our love ones; our children, partners, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters.”

North Yorkshire Police has reported an increase in the number of day-trippers making unnecessary journeys into and around the region. As the good weather is expected to continue this weekend, the force is stressing the importance of staying home.

Over 350 fixed penalty notices have been issued since the lockdown rules came into action in March. Nearly half of these have been issued to non-residents who are coming to North Yorkshire to visit a beauty spot.

” We’ve seen a massive increase in cyclists on the road and also recently a definite increase in the number of cars on the road passing through. I don’t believe they are all locals”.

Speaking about the recent influx of day-trippers to North Yorkshire, Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said:

I do not believe a group of friends travelling from West Yorkshire to climb the Yorkshire Three Peaks is essential nor do I believe a group of people travelling into the Yorkshire Dales from Bradford for a day out is essential. Exercise can be and should be taken locally following the Government guidelines, which have not changed since the day they were issued.”

North Yorkshire Police will be increasing their patrols and key routes will be monitored for signs of increased traffic and visitors to the area.

Chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, Richard Flinton, said:

“Because the sun is up it doesn’t mean the virus is not every bit as deadly.  Anyone can carry it, anyone can spread it and it is indiscriminate in who it hits hardest. Please stay at home and exercise if possible from your doorsteps, because a fine is not the only thing you risk if you don’t follow the guidance.”

Workers at Stainburn Forest uncovered unexploded shells yesterday and called North Yorkshire Police for help.

Officers attended at around 4pm and located four mortar shells before calling in the Army’s EOD team.

The bomb squad inspected the shells and determined that they were inert, and then removed them.

A spokesperson for the police said:

“Police were called at 3.45pm on 23 April 2020 by the Forestry Commission, to report that suspected unexploded shells had been uncovered during work in the forest at Stainburn Moor, near Harrogate. Officers attended, located four mortar shells, and liaised with the Army’s EOD team. They determined that the shells were inert, and removed them.”

The Stray Ferret approached the Forestry Commission for a comment, but did not receive a reply by the time of writing.

Police have said that North Yorkshire remains the safest place to live in the country despite a rise in crime – particularly stalking and harassment as well as public order offences.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for 2019 showed that North Yorkshire Police recorded 47,929 crimes, which is 9% higher than the year before.

The county seems slightly out of step with the rest of the country, which recorded a drop in overall crime by 5%.  Greater Manchester Police was not included in the data set because of issues with its new IT system.

Stalking and harassment crimes, as well as public order offences, went up significantly by 39% and 36% respectively. When questioned by the Stray Ferret, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said they were not able to add anything to their statement.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Morgan, however, believes that the crime increases are partly down to better recording of offences but said that she was “particularly worried by the rise in violent crime and robbery.”

One of the biggest issues in the Harrogate district remains drugs. An exclusive report in March by the Stray Ferret uncovered that school children “can get drugs in their lunch break.” Police in the town said at the time tackling county lines drugs was their highest priority.

Broken down into the main categories, the ONS figures for North Yorkshire show:

• Violence against the person has increased by 22% (16,794) broken down into:
• Homicide remains unchanged (6 in total)
• Violence with injury has increased by 14% (6,258)
• Violence without injury has increased by 22% (6,702)
• Stalking and harassment has increased by 39% (3,811)
• Death or serious injury – unlawful driving remains unchanged (17)
• Sexual offences have increased by 6% (1,988)
• Robbery has increased by 13% (242)
• Theft offences remain unchanged (17,066) broken down into:
• Burglary has increased by 3% (3,925)
• Theft from the person remains unchanged (477)
• Shoplifting has increased by 4% (4,642)
• All other theft offences remain unchanged (4,663)
• Drug offences have increased by 6% (1,662)
• Possession of weapons offences has increased by 3% (320)
• Public order offences have increased by 36% (3,009)
• Miscellaneous crimes against society have increased by 25% (1,016)
• Bicycle theft has decreased by 9% (1,072)
• Vehicle offences have decreased by 7% (2,287)
• Criminal damage and arson has decreased by 3% (5,832)

North Yorkshire has a crime rate of 58.1 per 1,000 of the population which is the lowest nationally and lower than the average of 89 per 1,000 across England and Wales.

Chief Constable Lisa Winward, North Yorkshire Police said:

“These figures show that North Yorkshire Police continues to be the safest place in the country per 1,000 of the population, despite the snapshot showing a 9% rise in recorded offences in comparison to the same period the year before. Even with our national position, we are not complacent, and a top priority for the force is ensuring victims continue to feel confident about reporting offences to us. As part of this, our piece of work to improve how we record crime, and also detect and investigate offences is ongoing as this naturally influences the county’s crime levels.”

North Yorkshire Police has handed out 153 fines to people flouting the coronavirus lockdown rules.

The force has also spoken to thousands of people and taken 2,000 reports from people detailing suspected breaches.

Some of the incidents include people getting drunk and others gathering for a barbeque in Scarborough as well as a couple camping in the North Yorkshire Moors.

Ten of the fines have been issued to parents or guardians for failing to keep their children under control.

The police issued the majority of fines to residents of North Yorkshire as well as 42% who had travelled to the county.

A breakdown of fines across North Yorkshire revealed that the majority of fines were handed out in the Scarborough district.

• Craven District – 20
• Hambleton District – 25
• Harrogate District – 6
• Richmondshire District – 6
• Ryedale District – 5
• Scarborough District – 44
• Selby District – 15
• City of York – 32

Men appear to be the worse culprit for breaking the lockdown rules with 126 fines compared to 27 issued to women. While those under the age of 35, especially those under 25, make up the majority of fines.

• 18 – 25: 68 fines issued
• 26 – 35: 49 fines issued
• 36 – 45: 19 fines issued
• 46 – 55: 10 fines issued
• 56 – 65: 4 fines issued
• 65 and over: 3 fines issued

North Yorkshire Police issued 91 of the 153 fines over the four-day Easter bank holiday weekend.

Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker, said:

“Most people understand the gravity of the situation we face, most people are moved by the tragic stories we have seen, and most people have stayed at home. Yes there have been pockets of breaches across the county, but the majority of people have listened. Each area is different and each area brings its own challenges, for example, all of the fines issued in the Craven area, the home of the Yorkshire Dales, were issued to visitors, whereas in Scarborough and York, the majority of fines were issued to residents.”

Easter weekend usually marks the start of a very busy summer season across the district, but officers are stressing that making unnecessary journeys could literally mean the difference between life and death.

Police have already stepped up patrols in Harrogate after they’ve seen an increase in the number of people visiting the town and flouting the coronavirus lockdown rules.

Harrogate’s Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Penny Taylor of North Yorkshire Police said:

“Whilst we know the majority of people in the town are doing the right thing and staying at home, despite the beautiful weather, it is unacceptable that some people are showing such a blatant disregard for the Government’s guidance.

North Yorkshire Police said it was disappointing and meant the force would be stepping up patrols elsewhere in the area, so increased police presence should be expected over the Easter weekend.

Guidelines state people should stay at home except to buy food or medicines, or go to work.

Richard Flinton, chair of the multi-agency North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum and chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“The next few weeks are critical in the nation’s fight to slow the rate of infection of this very dangerous virus.  We all have our part to play and what we do now will have a bearing on whether more people die or whether lives are spared. If we act irresponsibly more people will die.  The instruction is to exercise from your doorstep once a day and not to travel to other places for this.”

North Yorkshire Police’s Traffic Bureaus are also urging drivers not to use the county’s roads as a racetrack, having recorded speeds of up to 132mph over the past two weeks. Police patrols and safety camera vans, which are operated by key-worker police staff rather than officers, have been used at key locations to try to prevent further casualties and protect valuable emergency service and NHS resources.

A reminder has been issued to cyclists to follow social distancing guidelines as more and more people take to two wheels for exercise.

A combination of lighter nights and improved weather has seen the number of cyclists increase significantly over the last fortnight. That has also been boosted by the number of vehicles on the roads falling to 1955 levels, according to data released last week.

Some cyclists have come under fire for leaving their local area, with a sign being put up in Huby this week warning cyclists not to risk spreading the virus. North Yorkshire Police said cycling is still acceptable even during the coronavirus lockdown, but said precautions still need to be taken.

A sign put up in Huby warning cyclists to stay away. Picture by Thomas Barrett

Major Collision Investigation Sergeant Karen Aldridge said: “As long as people follow the government’s rules about how they exercise and observe social distancing while they do it, we want to give people the knowledge they need to ride safely.

“North Yorkshire is a beautiful county with a strong cycling scene and 6,000 miles of roads. That’s plenty of road for everyone if all road users stick to the law, take sensible precautions and look out for one another.”

The force’s advice includes:

• planning routes and telling someone where you’re going and your expected return time, especially if you are cycling in a remote location
• using dedicated cycle paths, especially when riding with children, as HGVs are still on the roads delivering essential supplies
• checking the bike is roadworthy before setting off, especially if it hasn’t been used for a while
• wearing reflective clothing and using lights and reflective discs, as well as riding towards the centre of the lane where you are most visible to other road users
• ensuring any face protection does not restrict your head movement
• using hand signals when turning
• making eye contact with drivers and pedestrians to ensure they have seen you
• helping motorists to pass at a safe distance by filtering down to single file.

Sgt Aldridge said officers are working hard to enforce speed limits, after reports that some drivers are using excessive speeds on quieter roads. She reminded drivers to “expect the unexpected around each corner” and to pass cyclists when safe to do so, at a minimum distance of 1.5m.

She added: “The government measures make it clear that cyclists need to practise social distancing and should only ride alone or with people from the same household. Please remember that, as our officers are out on patrol ensuring people follow these rules.”

North Yorkshire councils and police will share over £15 million as part of a new emergency coronavirus fund.

The money, which is part of a £1.6 billion government fund, will help the local authorities deal with the pressure across their services.

It is designed to increase support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people.

North Yorkshire County Council will get £15.2 million, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner will get £108,000 and Harrogate Borough Council will get £65,900.

The Stray Ferret has approached each of the local authorities for a breakdown of how they will spend the money but has received no response by the time of publication.

Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick said:

“The work of local authorities to deliver social care and other vital public services has never been more important than it is now – and will be – in the days and weeks ahead.

 

“That’s why we’re giving local councils £1.6 billion of additional funding to spend where it’s needed most, to ensure they can meet the cost of the increased demand for social care, and continue to protect the most vulnerable people in society.”

The emergency coronavirus fund is separate from the support fund for small businesses, hospitality, and leisure businesses.

That business fund has recently increased by £10 million to a total of £50 million, and Harrogate Borough Council has already distributed £12 million.

Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development for Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“We know businesses are under intense pressure. Our business rates team have worked extraordinarily hard to gear up to process tens of millions of pounds of government cash to support local businesses.

 

“We have drafted in extra staff to deal with grant payments and top priority is getting the money into the bank accounts of local businesses as quickly as we can.

 

“Many grants have already been received and we are busy processing others so that they should be hitting accounts early next week.”