Two new portable speed cameras to patrol Ripon

Ripon City Council has announced two speeding signs will be purchased for the city.

The initiative is in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and will see two vehicle activated speed signs for the city.

The signs show the speed of the car as it approaches.

The council has identified a number of roads with cars often spotted going too fast. The roads are heavily used, often with children and families walking on pavements at peak hours.

These include:

The signs will move around these roads from next week.

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Inspector Alex Langley of North Yorkshire Police welcomed the initiative, commenting that the implementation of this new technology should remind the road users of Ripon about excess speed and hopefully educate and encourage them to slow down.

He said:

“North Yorkshire Police fully supports this campaign and we will continue to take positive action against those road users that continue to speed and commit driving offence.”

Charity donations set on fire behind Knaresborough shop

Stolen clothes that were left as donations to a charity shop have been set on fire behind a shop on Knaresborough high street.

The ashes from the fire were discovered at the back of The Clothing Store of Knaresborough on Saturday morning.

Shop owner Rebecca Lombardi later learned the clothing was taken from outside St Vincent’s charity shop, over the road on the high street.

It happened just weeks after Blind Jack’s pub, on Market Place, was damaged in an overnight fire.

Ms Lombardi posted about the incident on social media to warn other businesses and attempt to gather more information.

She said:

“It could have been really dangerous, it was close to the bins and if it had got out of control I would worry for the two flats upstairs.

“I was shocked initially but then I started thinking about Blind Jack’s a couple of weeks ago and lots of thoughts were rushing round my head.

“Hopefully it was just a one-off.”

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Ms Lombardi said police initially told her it was a civil matter because there wasn’t a witness but Knaresborough resident Philip Allott, who is North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said he had escalated the investigation within North Yorkshire Police.

Mrs Lombardi said the police subsequently requested CCTV footage of the entrance to the back area.

She said she felt better after putting details of the incident social media because she knows other businesses are now aware.

North Yorkshire Police has not responded to requests for further information.

Missing Ripon teen found following urgent appeal

Missing Ripon teenager Casie Ackerley has been found following a police appeal.

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal after Casie, 17, was not seen at home for two weeks.

A police statement said it was thought she could be in the Leeds area and enquiries were being carried out there by West Yorkshire Police as well as in North Yorkshire.

However, North Yorkshire Police said this morning that the teenager had been found in Leeds.

It said in a tweet:

“Thanks to West Yorkshire Police and everyone who supported the appeal which has now been cancelled and should be removed from websites and social media.”

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Bus driver assaulted in Knaresborough

A bus driver was assaulted and had beer poured over her by two young women in Knaresborough on a late night service last night.

An eye witness told the Stray Ferret the driver was verbally abused and pushed over by a young woman in an “unprovoked attack”.

Another woman then allegedly poured a bottle of beer on the driver before leaving the bus, which had just left Knaresborough Bus Station at around 10pm, to get a taxi.

The witness, who did not wish to be named, said he was “shocked at what happened”, and that it highlighted the dangers facing frontline public sector workers.

He added police attended and took statements.

Harrogate Bus Company said today it was supporting the driver and cooperating with police over the alleged assault.

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Driver ‘shaken’

Steve Ottley, general manager at Harrogate Bus Company, said the driver was shaken but was “doing fine”.

He said:

“We can confirm there was an incident involving a colleague last night who was treated despicably by two customers. 

“Our driver is doing fine but was understandably shaken by what happened. 

“We are supporting our driver and doing all we can to assist the police in bring the assailants to justice. Such incidents are mercifully, extremely rare and we take the welfare of our team and customers extremely seriously.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police confirmed officers attended the incident, but added that no arrests had been made and an investigation was ongoing.

They added:

“Anyone with any information who has not yet spoken to the police, should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident number 12210198766.”

Police say wanted sex offender who is ‘danger to women’ could be in Harrogate

Police are searching for a man with links to Harrogate after he failed to appear in court.

Stephen Thrower was due in court for failing to comply with with the requirements of his sex offenders registration.

A warrant was issued for his arrest after he didn’t turn up.

West Yorkshire Police said in a tweet today the 53-year-old was as a danger to women and should not be approached.

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He has a number of tattoos, including a swallow, eagle, tiger and dagger on his right arm.

Thrower has links to Harrogate, York and Bradford and police believe he could be employed as a fairground worker.

Police urge anyone who sees him to call 999.

Harrogate’s Ashville College reports battery thefts after travellers depart

Harrogate’s Ashville College has reported the theft of batteries from lighting towers to police after travellers left the school’s playing fields.

Caravans departed the fields on Yew Tree Lane yesterday after an altercation, believed to be between two travellers, on Saturday night.

It was the second time in a fortnight caravans had pitched up at Ashville, sparking safeguarding concerns about pupils returning to the fee-paying school this term.

A spokesman for Ashville College said today:

“The travellers who arrived on Saturday and set up an illegal camp on our sports pitches have finally left.

“However, since their departure, we have discovered that a number of batteries from two lighting towers have been stolen. In addition to cutting wires, the culprits have also damaged the lifting mechanisms, and we have reported this to the police.

“We would like to thank the local policing team for their support and their continued on-site presence was a great comfort to members of staff and returning boarding pupils.”

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North Yorkshire Police said in a statement this afternoon the travellers had moved on “following intervention by Harrogate’s neighbourhood policing team”.

The statement added officers have been “working with land owners including the council to ensure security is maintained at other potential sites around the district”.

Travellers also descended on Hay-a-Park rugby field in Knaresborough last month.

Chief Inspector Andy Colbourne said:

“Communication is key in resolving community matters such as this, which can cause tensions on all sides if they are not managed properly.

“By working closely with all concerned as well as the wider local community, we’ve been able to help deliver a relatively swift resolution and prevent any further disruption.”

Retired headmaster died in A59 crash near Moor Monkton

North Yorkshire Police has named the man who died in a crash near Moor Monkton a fortnight ago.

Michael Rowbottom, 89, was involved in a collision on the A59 on Wednesday, August 25.

Mr Rowbottom, who was from York, was driving a red Audi A3 from Green Hammerton towards York when he was involved in a crash with two other vehicles — a black Audi Q5 and a silver Mini — both of which were travelling in the opposite direction.

The accident happened at 5.10pm.

Mr Rowbottom was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

The driver of the Mini sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Audi Q5 was not hurt.

Before retiring in the early 1990s, Mr Rowbottom was headmaster at English Martyrs’ school in York. He had three children.

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North Yorkshire Police is still appealing for witness or anyone with dash-cam footage that may help with enquiries.

If you have information you can contact Traffic Sergeant Mark Patterson on mark.patterson@northyorkshire.police.uk with reference number 12210188817.

Or call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson or Matthew Harvey.

Travellers depart Harrogate’s Ashville College after fracas leaves man in hospital

Travellers have left Harrogate’s Ashville College following a fracas on Saturday night that left one man in hospital.

Six caravans returned to the playing fields at the fee-paying school last week a fortnight after a previous encampment, thought to be the same group of people, pitched up.

Their presence raised safeguarding concerns that could have disrupted the new school term, which is due to start this week.

But following a disturbance on Saturday night, most of the travellers have now gone — and the few remaining are expected to depart today.

A spokesman for Ashville College said:

“Of the six caravans that returned on Saturday afternoon, just one remains and they are expected to leave this afternoon.

“Their departure follows an incident on Saturday night confined to this group, which resulted in police attending the scene and one man being taken to hospital. There has been a police presence since the incident occurred.

“We would like to emphasise that no member of the school community was involved in any way, and parents and staff have been fully appraised of the situation.”

School reviewing security

The school is now looking at ways to prevent travellers returning a third time. The spokesman said:

“A full review of the site security was already underway, and this process will now be expedited.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident was believed to be an altercation between two men at the location.

The spokesman added:

“Both were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries.

“We will be reviewing this tomorrow with the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”

No staff, students or anyone else connected with the college is believed to have been involved.

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North Yorkshire Police not answering half of 999 calls on time

Half of 999 calls to North Yorkshire Police were not answered on time last month, according to the force’s own figures.

The force’s control room received 9,572 emergency calls — the highest ever number for the month of August.

However, 50 per cent of those were not answered within the 10 second target set nationally.

Half of calls met the target and 45 per cent were answered within five seconds, according to police.

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Deputy chief constable Phil Cain told a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner accountability meeting yesterday that on average the force answered 999 calls within 22 seconds last month.

He said:

“We want to get a lot better at that.

“The challenge for us is balancing against the volume increase of three nines we are receiving since the easing of lockdown restrictions versus some of the staffing challenges we have got in the control room.”

DCC Cain said police were creating long and medium term plans, which include using technology and additional staff, to improve response times.

Overtime plan

The move comes as the county’s police, fire and crime commissioner, Philip Allott, approved £69,000 worth of funding in July for the force to create an overtime plan and hire six more call handlers for busier times.

An additional £70,000 was set aside should more funding be required until the end of October.

A decision notice on the commissioner’s website said:

“The requirement for this available funding will be reviewed at the end of October and the commissioner expects to see proposals brought forward through the next round of budget setting to ensure the longer-term sustainability of the force control room.”

Mr Allott told the Stray Ferret in July that he expected improvements in response times in the coming months following the easing of restrictions and after improvements to the service were made.

‘We will not resort straight away to criminal prosecution’ of travellers, say police

North Yorkshire Police has said it will not “resort straight away” to criminal prosecution of travellers who set up illegal encampments.

Travellers have pitched up at Hay-a-Park in Knaresborough and on the playing field at Ashville College in Harrogate this month.

Asked today by a member of the public why officers did not use the Criminal Disorder Act 1984, which prohibits trespassing, deputy chief constable Phil Cain said the police always looked to resolve the matter at “the earliest opportunity”.

But he added the force had a “graduated response” to dealing with such incidents.

DCC Cain, speaking at a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner public accountability meeting, said police had to balance the human rights of all those involved, particularly as the travelling community often has families with small children.

He said:

“The graduated response from North Yorkshire Police, as it is with other forces, is that we will not resort straight away to criminal prosecution. We will engage with the travelling community and the land owners as we have done on this occasion.

“We will seek to resolve the matter at the earliest opportunity using the least intrusive means possible. That includes graduating up through private land owners utilising powers in civil courts for unlicensed travellers settlements all the way through to the final element, which would be criminal prosecution.

“On this occasion, local officers have engaged with the travelling community and they have agreed to move on without the need for us to resort to criminal prosecution.”

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“It’s not that we are not prepared to use these powers, it’s that there has to be a graduated response and we have to show that graduated response in order to show that we are complying with the Human Rights Act.”

Last week travellers set up camp on Ashville College’s rugby pitch and demanded £5,000 to leave, according to a college spokesperson.

However, after less than two days the travellers hitched up their caravans and moved on. The college said they left of their own accord.

Hay-a-Park rugby field in Knaresborough was sealed off by police and deemed to be a health hazard due to the amount of human excrement after travellers departed on August 10.

Knaresborough traveller site Hay-A-Park

A police cordon sealing off Hay-a-Park rugby field after travellers left.