‘Significant hurdles’ could delay moves to evict Ashville College travellers

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has warned that attempts to remove travellers from Harrogate’s Ashville College face “significant hurdles”.

Travellers parked at the fee-paying school’s rugby pitch on Tuesday evening and remain on site. A spokesman for the college said the travellers had indicated they were prepared to leave immediately if they received £5,000.

Now the school has said it may have to delay the start of the autumn term on September 8 if the travellers do not leave because of safeguarding concerns. The college has already had to relocate outdoor summer sports activities to indoors.

But any prospect of a swift resolution to the matter seems remote.

A spokesman for Ashville College told the Stray Ferret police officers said they were powerless to take action when staff got in touch because it is a civil rather than criminal matter.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police about the incident but has not received a response.

Read more:

Harrogate Borough Council has said it is willing to give advice to the college but is also powerless to act because the encampment is on private land.

Mr Allott, whose job is to hold the police to account, told us police and local authorities were in a tricky spot when it came to travellers. He said:

“I know how frustrating it can be for residents who feel helpless when travellers arrive in their community, and how frustrating it can be for the police and local authorities who want to help but face significant hurdles doing so.

“The issue is that trespass is a civil offence and not a criminal offence. So if the encampment is on private land such as Ashville College, it is the landowner’s responsibility unless there are other crimes being committed.”

New law could speed up evictions

The situation may change if the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, becomes law.

The bill proposes making “residing in a vehicle on land without permission” a specific offence.

It will also give the police power to seize vehicles and speed up the eviction process for councils and private landowners.

Mr Allott, whose home town of Knaresborough has also recently been visited by travellers, added:

“Although the instigator of the initial complaint will still mostly be the local authority or landowner, it will mean that things will happen much faster and that they can also use the police for enforcement purposes instead of bailiffs.

“Frankly, these measures can’t come soon enough for many here in North Yorkshire and I continue to urge the Home Secretary to get these powers written into law as soon as possible.

“We must support residents, schools and sports clubs – who often suffer the most from the impact of these illegal camps.

“These changes would, I hope, also be welcomed by the vast majority of travellers who get an unfair and negative image despite the majority abiding by the law.”

89-year-old man dies after three-vehicle Harrogate district crash

An 89-year-old man has died following a three-vehicle collision on the A59 near Moor Monkton yesterday.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the crash, which took place at about 5.10pm and led to lengthy tailbacks.

The 89-year-old man, who has not been named, was driving a red Audi A3 towards York. The man, who was from York, was taken to hospital and died.

A black Audi Q5 and a silver Mini, which were travelling in the opposite direction towards Harrogate, were also involved in the incident.

The driver of the Mini sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Audi Q5 was uninjured.

Read more:

North Yorkshire Police is appealing to anyone travelling along the A59 in both directions who has not already spoken to the police to contact them if they saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or if they witnessed the incident.

Anyone with information, or dashcam footage, can contact Traffic Sergeant Mark Patterson via email at mark.patterson@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson or Matthew Harvey.

Police close road near Green Hammerton after serious crash

North Yorkshire Police closed the A59 near Green Hammerton after a serious crash this evening.

The force reported the crash, which led to long delays, at about 7pm this evening.

At this stage it is unclear how many vehicles were involved and the extent of any injuries.

Motorists have been warned to avoid the area while the emergency services deal with the incident.

A spokesperson for the police said:

“We’re currently at the scene of a serious collision on the A59 at Green Hammerton.

“The road is currently closed and diversions are in progress.

“There is likely to be some disruption for some time. Please avoid the area whilst emergency services respond.”

Read more:

 

‘Moving breakdown truck drops car into fence’ in Harrogate

An eyewitness has described the moment a moving breakdown truck dropped a car, which then rolled into a fence in Harrogate near where children play.

The incident happened at about 9.20pm last night on Roberts Crescent.

A police cordon remains in place today on the street, which is just off Skipton Road, and there is also a broken fence.

The eyewitness, who asked not to be named, told the Stray Ferret:

“I walked past the field last night when a white tow truck was offloading a car as it was still driving off.

“As a result the car smashed through the fence of the field, causing a really loud noise. It’s a blessing it wasn’t an hour before because I saw kids playing there.

“The police soon turned up and taped off the smashed fence. I’m not sure of the outcome but there were lots of people out when officers investigated with torches.”

We approached North Yorkshire Police to confirm the account but received no reply by the time of publication.

Read more:

The police cordon on Roberts Crescent.

Arsonist sets fire to historic Knaresborough pub

An arsonist set fire to an historic Grade II listed Knaresborough pub where the owners live.

Blind Jack’s, on Market Place, was damaged in the blaze which was started at around 4am on Sunday morning.

Owners Christian and Alice Ogley were away at the time of the fire so nobody was injured.

The fire service managed to put out the blaze and police officers tracked down a suspect and arrested him.

However, it will take a highly-skilled craftsman to replace the badly damaged entrance as the windows and door is around 200-years-old. There is also smoke damage inside.

The pub is named after Knaresborough’s John Metcalf, the first professional road builder to emerge in the Industrial Revolution.

Mr Ogley told the Stray Ferret:

“Luckily a local had just gotten back from a stag do in Leeds. He had decided to cut through Market Place where he saw the fire.

“He banged on the door because he knew we lived there and then called 999. Without him it would have been much worse.”

Since news of the fire got out, Christian and Alice have been inundated with messages and offers of support. He added:

“That is the best thing to come out of this. We have had so many kind messages and treats from local people and businesses.

“We managed to open last night. So many people came to offer their support. All of this positivity has really outweighed the negativity.”

Read more:

While the pub will get a temporary replacement, the owners will need to get in experts to fix entrance which may force it to close for a few days in the near future.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said:

“Crews were called to a report of a door of a building on fire. Crews extinguished this using a hose reel jet. This was believed to have been deliberate.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Police were called to Blind Jack’s pub in Knaresborough after reports that a man had set fire to the front door.

“Officers arrested a 44 year old man on suspicion of arson and he was later released under investigation.”

Appeal after rare motorbike stolen in Harrogate

Police are appealing for information after a motorbike was stolen in Harrogate and the attempted theft of another one.

The first was taken from an address on St Georges Road at around 2:30am before being abandoned.

North Yorkshire Police is looking for information on four men who are believed to have attended an address on South Park Road, Harrogate at 3:20am where a rare, Aprilia RS250 Mk2 was stolen.

The force said the motorbike has a distinctive bubbling to the surface of the fuel tank which should distinguish it from similar bikes.

Read More: 

A police statement added:

“Officers are appealing to anyone in the area including residents with CCTV or doorbell video, and passing motorists with dashcam footage. to check their devices in case the suspects have been captured on camera.

“In particular, they are appealing to anyone who saw four  males acting suspiciously at this time.

Anyone with information or footage  that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Dean Barrett, collar number 1573.

“You can also email dean.Barrett@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210185790.”

Police investigate spate of violence and anti-social behaviour in Ripon

Police investigating a spate of anti-social behaviour offences in Ripon have called on the public to help them bring the perpetrators to justice.

North Yorkshire Police said a “small group of people” were causing issues in the city and that violence and anti-social behaviour “will not be tolerated”.

The plea comes after officers arrested a fifth man in connection with a knifepoint robbery outside the Ship Inn, Bondgate, in the city.

The force said today that it had stepped up patrols in the city after launching investigations into four separate incidents.

The offences include:

Officers have called on anyone with any information or CCTV footage from those areas to come forward to help their investigations.

Read More: 

Inspector Alex Langley, North Yorkshire Police, said: 

“Violence and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in Ripon and we are doing all we can to bring those responsible for the events over the past week to justice.

“We have stepped up patrols in the area but we also need your help. We would like to hear from anyone who has CCTV covering Bondgate, Southgate, Mawson Lane and surrounding areas – this could be from a traditional CCTV camera, a video doorbell or dash-cam footage.

“A number of arrests have been made already and I hope this goes someway to reassure the public.

“I would like to thank those who have provided information already and continue to urge people to report any acts of anti-social behaviour or other crimes to police.”

Detective superintendent Steve Thomas, said: 

“Following the success of local policing operations to reduce anti-social behaviour in Ripon over recent months these latest incidents are disappointing.

“We are determined that this small group of individuals are held to account for behaviour that harms the quality of life for everyone else. Local residents will see an increase in police presence over the coming days and we want to reassure you that we will do everything necessary to tackle this isolated problem.”

Police arrest fifth man in connection with Ripon knifepoint robbery

Police have arrested a fifth man after a teenager was threatened with a knife and robbed outside a pub in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement yesterday that the incident happened outside the Ship Inn on Bondgate at 6.45pm on Friday (August 13).

Police arrested four men after a teenage boy had personal possessions stolen, including a watch and an item of jewellery, after he was threatened at knifepoint. No injuries were reported.

Now, officers have said a fifth man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the incident.

A police statement said yesterday:

“Police responded and launched an immediate investigation, which resulted in four males, aged 14 to 20, being arrested in connection with the incident.

“They have been released on bail pending further investigation.

“Officers made enquiries in the surrounding area but are urging people to come forward if they have information which they have not yet shared.

“Please call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and quote reference 12210180615.”

Read More: 

 

Man arrested after car found with shredded tyres in Kirk Hammerton

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of drug and driving offences after a car was found with shredded tyres in Kirk Hammerton.

Officers found the Land Rover on the A59 in the village in the early hours of this morning.

A man in his 30s from Northumbria was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, drug driving, possession of a class-A drug, dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

He was taken into custody and bailed pending further enquiries, including drug test results.

North Yorkshire Police added in a statement:

“Police are urging anyone who suspects someone of drink or drug driving to contact the force by calling 101 and selecting option 1, or phoning 999 if it’s happening immediately.”

Read More: 

 

Four arrested after gang robs teenager at knifepoint in Ripon

Police have arrested four men after a teenager was robbed outside a pub in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened outside the Ship Inn, Bondgate, at 6.45pm on Friday.

A teenage boy had personal possessions stolen, including a watch and an item of jewellery, after he was threatened at knifepoint. No injuries were reported.

Read More: 

A police statement said:

“Police responded and launched an immediate investigation, which resulted in four males, aged 14 to 20, being arrested in connection with the incident.

“They have been released on bail pending further investigation.

“Officers made enquiries in the surrounding area but are urging people to come forward if they have information which they have not yet shared.

“Please call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and quote reference 12210180615.”