North Yorkshire Police issued far more coronavirus fines than expected to young Asian men, according to an independent report published today.

The local police commissioner commented that it was a “concerning” development but said the force recognised the issue quickly.

Julia Mulligan said the force “found no evidence of bias” and that they all appear to have been issued “fairly and appropriately”.

“However, I remain very concerned that the sheer scale of fines issued to young Asian males is unfair and likely to be biased. This requires further work to understand. We must all do everything within our power to root out discrimination of any kind.”

Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people made up 5.2% of the North Yorkshire population at the last census but account for 19.75% of the fines. The report suggested that the focus on the restriction of movement may have resulted in unconscious bias against those who did not fit the local profile.

Read more:

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Craven was identified in the report as a particular problem, where 43% of fines were given to BAME individuals. A large number of those were Asian visitors from West Yorkshire, with 97% of fines given to people from outside the area.

North Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable Phil Cain said in response to the report:

“I am pleased that the OPFCC found no evidence of discrimination, and that the FPNs issued by our officers were issued fairly and appropriately. The review found that the FPNs issued to local people are proportionate to our local demographics.

“However, it remains a cause for concern that there is disproportionality in the number of FPNs issued to BAME visitors to our force area.

“North Yorkshire Police shares the commitment of our Police Fire and Crime Commissioner to do everything within our power to root out discrimination of any kind, and I am committed to doing so.”

North Yorkshire Police says only “as a last resort” will officers issue £100 fines to people not wearing face masks in shops.

From tomorrow, it will become mandatory in shops to wear face masks or face coverings to help limit the spread of coronavirus.

NYP also urged the public not to call 999 to report people for not wearing a face mask. Instead, reports should be made online.

The Stray Ferret has published a list of local retailers selling face masks.

Superintendent Charlotte Bloxham, silver commander for the response to Covid-19, said:

“Since the new regulations were announced, we have been liaising with local retailers to explain how we will police these new regulations.

“Demand on our service is almost back to normal pre-coronavirus levels, so we have to prioritise where we deploy our officers.

“We will take a sensible approach to enforcement and hope people understand that we cannot attend every incident. To that end, please bear this in mind before reporting anyone for not wearing a face-covering.

“To help keep our phone lines free for urgent policing matters, we urge anyone who wishes to report a breach of the regulations, to do so via our online coronavirus reporting form which can be found on our website. Please only call if a situation escalates and your safety is threatened.”

Read more:

• Where can you buy a face mask in Harrogate?

• ‘Impossible’ to enforce face masks in Harrogate shops, says police federation

An Oxford University study found that face masks are effective in protecting the wearer from the virus as well as everyone around them.

Last week, the Stray Ferret spoke to Rob Bowles, chair of the North Yorkshire Police Federation who said issuing fines would be “impossible and impractical.”

Several retailers in Harrogate also said mandatory face coverings could put people off coming to the town.

Clare Nelson, manager at menswear shop Porters, said:

“I would feel uncomfortable telling customers to wear a face covering. If a big group of lads were to walk in without them I don’t think I would be able to tell them to wear one. It might put people off coming into the shop. I don’t think we would be able to enforce this.”

North Yorkshire Police has called for a Harrogate pub’s licence to be removed after it came under fire for breaching lockdown rules.

The Coach and Horses was told by Harrogate Borough Council that its licence was under review after people gathered outside the pub on West Park drinking which breached coronavirus guidelines.

The pub was issued a prohibition notice by the council on May 31 for “repeatedly breaking the rules”. Officials said around 75 customers were in the area drinking at one point.

People gathered outside the Coach and Horses back in May.

Now, police have called for the pub to be stripped of its licence in the interests of public safety.

Councillors on the borough council’s licensing committee will decide on the future of the pub’s licence on Wednesday.

Read more:

• Harrogate pub could be shut down over lockdown breaches
• Harrogate pub owners said they followed government guidelines
• Why did the council serve The Coach and Horses with a prohibition notice?

In a letter to the council’s licensing committee, Jackie Allen, police licensing officer, said the Coach and Horses did not comply with coronavirus regulations.

It said:

“It is believed that if the premises are allowed to retain a premise licence this will have an adverse effect on the local community…

“It is the view of North Yorkshire Police that the premises licence should be revoked and would respectfully direct members to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 ‘it shall be the duty of each authority to which the section applies to do all it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area.’”

The force said it received 14 separate reports from members of the public between May 30 and June 2 over customers drinking from open containers outside. Police say this also breaches the pub’s licence.

North Yorkshire Police has urged dog owners to be more responsible after an increase in attacks on livestock.

The police issued the appeal after noticing an upturn in incidents in the Harrogate area over the last week.

More people are visiting the countryside as lockdown restrictions are eased, which has led to more dog attacks on sheep.

Inspector Matt Hagan, head of North Yorkshire’s rural taskforce, said:

“Owners need to stick to the countryside code and keep their dogs under control even if that means they have to stay on a lead. You are responsible for their behaviour so keep it under control. If your dog is involved in an incident please report it as a lot of the time the owner may see no-one and just head off but they do have a duty to report it.

“If you’re out and about and see anything please report it too because it’s difficult following these kinds of reports up, but if you report it at the time and it’s more likely we can do something.”

The police are asking dog owners to take responsibility for their dogs when out walking them in the countryside.

Read more:

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One of the incidents reported to the police this month involved a husky which managed to run through a fence and chase sheep. Police officers were called to an incident on July 12 near Thruscross Reservoir, near Harrogate, by a farmer who reported a dog had attacked a lamb on his land.

The farmer accepted an apology from the dog’s owner and the police issued a community resolution. North Yorkshire’s rural police force are keen to highlight the financial and emotional impact these attacks can have on their livelihoods.

Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault in Ripon which left a man with a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and loss of hearing.

The 21-year-old victim was attacked outside Gianni’s Pizzeria in Westgate between 1am and 1.25am on Saturday, July 11.

Police are keen to speak to a group of three men and a woman who, after the assault, were seen getting into a dark-coloured hatchback car. One of the men is believed to have been wearing a grey Armani jumper.

Anyone with information about the group, or the assault, should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Lynn Maguire, or email lynn.maguire@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, to report information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200117545.

Read more:

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North Yorkshire Police has admitted it did not get its response to a large gathering and drug use on the Stray last month “100% right”.

It comes as hundreds of people gathered on the Stray last month where police found canisters of laughing gas and empty takeaway boxes and beer bottles in what was described as a “festival atmosphere”.

Now, Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police and commander for Harrogate, has said the force did not “get to grips” on the gathering quickly enough.

He apologised to councillors on a Harrogate Borough Council scrutiny committee for the initial response but added the force will now respond earlier to such incidents.

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He said:

“I’m really sorry that we were not able to get to grips with it in time for it not to affect the people that reported it to us.

“I was working on the evening that it happened and as soon as we were aware, we deployed through the force control room additional resources.

“Unfortunately, once you get a gathering of that size, it is a question of trying to engage as best as possible and trying to encourage them to remove litter in a sensible way.

“It was quite difficult and I’m not saying that we got that entirely right but we certainly learned from it.

“What we did from that point onwards is increase our patrol strategy to make sure that we were earlier to engage with the groups rather than letting it get either too big or too much alcohol consumed.”

Since the incident, police have sought to educate on the use of laughing gas and issued a warning after finding an “awful lot” of canisters.

Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police (middle right), answered questions from Harrogate Borough Council’s scrutiny committee.

Speaking about the dangers of inhaling the gas, Sergeant Heidi Lewis, children & young people engagement officer, said:

“People may believe that because this gas is widely available and easily purchased, that it is harmless. However, inhaling this gas can lead to unconsciousness and ultimately suffocation, as the body is essentially starved of oxygen.

So when you know the risks irresponsible use of this gas poses, it’s not so much of a laugh is it?”

Early morning rant alert. Part 1 of 2 #Harrogate #Stray #Sunshine pic.twitter.com/nDyqaC9eF3

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) June 25, 2020

Following the gathering, volunteers and council staff cleaned up the Stray with one describing it as the “biggest mess in six years”.

It comes as North Yorkshire Police still tops forces across the country for the most coronavirus fines handed out since March.

The force handed out a total of 1,171 fines to people breaching coronavirus regulations up to June 22 with the majority of the fines issued to people visiting the county’s beauty spots.

Officers said most visitors had come from West Yorkshire to the county.

North Yorkshire Police has seen a rise in reports of people being scammed when trying to buy puppies online.

Fraudsters will advertise online and then use the coronavirus restrictions as a reason why the customer cannot see the dog in person.

The seller will then ask for money for the dog as well as vet bills, vaccinations, and other costs. Once the customer has paid the scammer will disappear and no puppy arrives.

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It comes as animal welfare organisations report a surge in interest in puppies during lockdown. That was followed by a surge in prices.

The Kennel Club saw a 168% increase in people searching for puppies on its website since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown.

North Yorkshire Police has said that buying a new pet is a decision that people should never take lightly.

Kevin Ross, from the force’s fraud and economic crime unit, said:

“Unfortunately the lure of a new canine companion is one which has resulted in several people losing their money to this scam. Purchasing a new pet is a decision that should never be taken lightly. We would urge anyone considering doing so to follow the RSPCA’s guidance.”

Police are appealing for witnesses after a car collided with a telecommunications box in Harrogate, causing significant damage.

A Mini Cooper Estate S collided with the green box near the junction with Tewit Well Avenue at 1.20am on Friday, June 26. The driver left the scene without reporting the incident.

A 19-year-old man has since been arrested and released under investigation while enquiries continue. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and also help to identify the driver of the vehicle at the time of the collision.”

Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 587, or email matthew.bulmer@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200107118.

Police are planning more patrols this weekend as pubs in Harrogate reopen for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.

Some venues may not reopen this weekend and others will have booking systems in place but many will come back from July 4.

Not only will there be an increased police presence on the streets but there will also be more drink and drug driving patrols.

Read more:

• Harrogate pub owners said they followed government guidelines
• Why did the council serve The Coach and Horses with a prohibition notice?

North Yorkshire Police is urging everyone to play their part and “celebrate respectfully and peacefully.”

Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said:

“As we see our high streets, communities and now licenced venues open up again, we urge people to drink responsibly and respect local residents and their peace and quiet. Licensees have had a very difficult few months, please don’t make things worse for your favourite pub or bar by risking their licence through antisocial behaviour or worse.”

Richard Flinton, Chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum and Chief executive of NYCC, added:

“It is very positive to see how carefully the lifting of the lockdown measures are being considered by the many pubs, restaurants and hotels which will start to trade again. If we get this right we will manage the risks and be able to enjoy some semblance of normality with our friends and family again – while not spreading the virus.”