Police launch arson investigation after Harrogate Kimberley Hotel fire

North Yorkshire Police has launched an arson investigation after a fire last night at the Kimberley Hotel in Harrogate.

Eight fire engines were called to the blaze at the hotel off Kings Road at around 11pm. Half the main building was damaged by smoke and an annex was destroyed.

Firefighters closed the road for several hours.

A spokesperson for the police confirmed to the Stray Ferret that officers are now investigating the incident as arson.

They said:

“The incident has been confirmed as arson and a police investigation has been commenced.

“Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area, or anyone who has any information which would assist officers with their enquiries is asked to contact the force control room on 101, quoting reference 12230042171.”

Pictures of the damage caused by the fire. Picture: Harrogate Fire Station.

Pictures of the damage caused by the fire inside the hotel. Picture: Harrogate Fire Station.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s incident log this morning said:

“Crews from Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Tadcaster, Northallerton, Skipton and Malton along with the aerial ladder platform responded to reports of smoke issuing from a disused hotel.

“Crews used 20 breathing apparatus, four hose reel jets, one main jet and lance, lighting, thermal imaging cameras, small tools, door enforcer, hydraulic spreaders, reciprocating saw, drills and a triple extension ladder to fight the fire.

“The fire caused 100% fire damage to the annex measuring 10m by 10m and caused 5% fire damage and 50% smoke damage to the main building.”

The hotel off Kings Road has recently being subject to drug and crime concerns.

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Is crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe aiming to be North Yorkshire’s first mayor?

Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, is hoping to stand for election to become the county’s first mayor, the Stray Ferret understands.

A Conservative Party source has told the Stray Ferret that Ms Metcalfe had indicated she planned to launch a bid for the party’s nomination for next year’s mayoral election.

The mayor will oversee a significant budget for York and North Yorkshire and have the power to allocate funds to areas such as transport, education and housing.

He or she will also swallow up the commissioner’s role currently occupied by Ms Metcalfe.

Ms Metcalfe has strong local connections: she was born in Ripon, educated in Harrogate and lives near Boroughbridge.

A former Harrogate borough councillor, she was elected to her commissioner’s role in 2021 with 39.5% of the vote in a by-election caused by the resignation of fellow Conservative Philip Allott following comments he made about the murder of Sarah Everard.

Since taking up the role on a salary of £74,000, she has overseen the introduction of a Risk and Resource Model for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, which sets out how resources will be deployed from 2022 to 2025.

The changes included reducing Harrogate Fire Station’s nighttime cover from two fire engines to one.

The commissioner’s role gives Ms Metcalfe a countywide profile that could enhance her prospects of winning the Conservative nomination for mayor — a new role being created as part of North Yorkshire devolution.

The Stray Ferret contacted the crime commissioner’s office asking whether Ms Metcalfe planned to stand but did not receive a response.

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Rogue builder who stole jewellery and cash from Harrogate couple jailed

A rogue builder hooked on gambling and cocaine stole prized jewellery from a Harrogate couple who entrusted him with the key to their house.

Sam Brotherston, 32, from Hampsthwaite, was contracted to renovate the couple’s home on Beckwith Road and was left to his own devices while the victims were out at work, York Crown Court heard.

Soon enough, the couple, who had pinned their hopes on Brotherston converting the property into their dream home, started noticing money and jewellery going missing from an upstairs bedroom, said prosecutor Sam Roxborough.

He said the couple were quoted over £13,000 for the work including building materials and labour.

Brotherston, who was self-employed, asked for £4,289 to buy materials such as a door and steel joist for work which was not only never completed, but left the couple with an open sewer in their kitchen and demolished walls. 

To add insult to injury, he never bought the materials and instead spent it on his rampant gambling and cocaine habit.

Initially trusting of Brotherston, the couple handed him the money and he began work on the property in March last year when the named victims gave him a key to their house.

But on March 18, just nine days into the job, the female victim noticed £20 was missing from her purse. Just under two weeks later, she noticed that more cash had disappeared while she was away from home.

Brotherston had helped himself to £80 in total, as well as two white gold rings, which had also been kept in the bedroom. 

The victim did her own investigatory work by visiting pawnbrokers in Harrogate to see if Brotherston had tried to sell her jewellery. She found one of her rings up for sale in a local jeweller’s.

Mr Roxborough said:

“Unfortunately, one of the rings was scrapped by the jeweller’s.”

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Police recovered the other ring when they turned up at the jeweller’s a few days later.

Staff told officers that Brotherston had sold three other gold and silver rings at the jewellers. He stole those pieces from a friend while carrying out work at her home in Brunswick Drive, Harrogate.

The victim, who was named in court, didn’t want to press charges because she was a friend of Brotherston’s family, but he admitted stealing her rings. 

Mr Roxborough said the Beckwith Road couple were devastated to hear that Brotherston, of Hollins Lane, Hampsthwaite, had used the money deposited into his account to place bets “at various betting establishments”.

He was arrested following an investigation and charged with burglary, two counts of theft and one of fraud. He admitted all four offences and appeared for sentence today.

‘Sick to the stomach’

The female victim of the Beckwith Road offences said she and her husband had trusted Brotherston, only for him to steal from them on three separate occasions over a period of nearly a month.

She said the rings were of sentimental value and she had been left feeling “violated, scared, shocked and saddened”, and she was now struggling to sleep.

One of the rings, which was never recovered, belonged to her husband’s grandmother and one was a wedding gift. The other was a present for her 30th birthday.

She said:

“Seeing the rings for sale in the pawnbrokers was shocking and left me feeling sick to the stomach.”

She was now scared to be alone in her home and she and her husband had changed all the locks and installed security cameras.

She said that Brotherston’s shoddy, “half-completed” work had left them with an open sewer and that walls had been knocked down which would need rebuilding. Wires were “hanging out of the walls” and the living room was left a mess. 

She added:

“This work was going to complete our dream of providing a lovely family home for my young children to grow up in.

“This is devastating. It’s going to be hard for me to trust anybody again.”

She and her husband were now faced with spending the same amount of money again to put right what Brotherston had ruined. 

‘Damaging acts of dishonesty’

Defence barrister Emma Williams said that Brotherston, a father-of-one, had been caught up in a “gambling and drug-use cycle” but that his behaviour was “out of character”. The offences had led to the break-up of the relationship with his partner. 

Judge Sean Morris described Brotherston’s offences as “very mean and hurtful and damaging acts of dishonesty”.

He told Brotherston: 

“You were snorting your way through cocaine bought with £10,000 worth of gambling winnings. No doubt having blown all that, you then decided that you needed (the victims’) money to carry on snorting cocaine and enjoying the lifestyle.

“At the same time as you were pilfering hard-earned money from that couple and not doing the work that was required, you were creeping around their house going into their bedroom and you stole some rings that had real sentimental value.

“That’s had an awful effect on the lady of the house. They will have been left in a shocking situation and that is all down to your greed and dishonesty.”

Mr Morris said the offences were “too mean” and “appalling” for there to be anything other than an immediate jail sentence.

Brotherston was jailed for 13 months. 

Police set to increase use of stop and search in Harrogate district

A senior police officer has said he expects to see an increase in the use of stop and search in the Harrogate district.

Police have the power to stop and search people if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect they’re carrying illegal drugs, a weapon or stolen property or something that could be used to commit a crime.

In special circumstances, people can be stopped and searched without these ‘reasonable grounds’.

Civil liberties groups have raised concerns the technique is open to abuse, especially at legitimate protests.

At Harrogate Borough Council‘s overview and scrutiny commission this week, Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Pannal asked Rich Ogden, chief inspector at North Yorkshire Police if the force used stop and search to discourage people carrying knives.

Ch Insp Ogden said stop and search “is a really effective operational tool”, adding.

“Where there is an opportunity to search somebody, whether it be under the misuse of drugs act, or for prohibited articles, such as knives, that can be used for criminal damage then we should absolutely encourage that.

“So I expect in this area to see an increase in stop and search but I want to make sure it’s obviously done ethically and appropriately because it is controversial in terms of areas of society who will challenge the police and rightly so — we are accountable for everything we do and that’s why we have to make sure everything is recorded.”

Ch Insp Ogden said local police team meetings regularly reviewed whether the technique was used appropriately and correctly.

He said:

“It’s got to be done properly and it’s always got to be recorded and the member of the public that is subject to that stop and search is always entitled to a copy of their search record.”

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Police arrest wanted Harrogate man

Police have arrested a wanted Harrogate man.

Officers issued an appeal for the whereabouts of a 30-year-old man, who was believed to be in either the Harrogate or Knaresborough area.

The force has since confirmed that he has been arrested in the Blackpool area on suspicion of offences connected to a serious assault.

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Woman’s lip needs stitches after being hit in face in Harrogate bar

Police have launched an appeal for witnesses after a woman was hit in the face in a Harrogate nightclub.

The female, in her 20s, received a large cut to her lip that required several stitches.

The incident happened at Revolucion de Cuba on Parliament Street on December 10.

North Yorkshire Police, which issued the appeal today, said the assault has only recently been reported “due to the distress and anxiety that the victim felt following the incident”.

It added the victim had “bravely allowed us to share a photograph of her injury” to aid the appeal.

According to police, the assault happened at about midnight as the victim went to retrieve her coat from behind a chair in the upstairs area of the club. Shortly after the attack, a group of woman spoke to the victim.

Investigating officer, PC Sylvia Matla said:

“I am appealing to the group of women to come forward along with any witnesses who saw what happened or can help us identify the suspect.

“This attack caused the victim apprehension and distress but more importantly, anxiety causing her fear of reporting this incident to the police for some time. I would like to reassure anyone who is the victim of crime, that North Yorkshire Police will investigate all crimes regardless of the time passed since it happened.”

If you have information you can email Sylvia.Matla@northyorkshire.police.uk or call her by dialling 101, selecting option 2, and asking to speak to her.

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

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230024522.

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Two men arrested on suspicion of conspiring to steal vehicles in Harrogate

Police have arrested two men on suspicion of conspiring to steal vehicles in Harrogate.

Officers acting on intelligence stopped a grey Seat Leon on Leeds Road near Pannal on Friday (February 24) at about 8pm after observing the men behaving suspiciously, North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today.

The statement said the suspects, both in their 30s, were getting out of the car and approaching other vehicles in Harrogate.

It added:

“Both occupants and the car itself were searched by officers, and a number of tools including pliers and screwdrivers were located. 

“As a result, both men – aged in their 30s and from Leeds – were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.”

Both men have been released on bail pending police enquiries.

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Police seek man after designer scarf stolen in Harrogate

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to after a scarf was stolen from a Harrogate restaurant.

It happened on Cold Bath Road at 6.50pm on Wednesday February 14 — Valentine’s Day.

A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:

“CCTV captured a couple in the restaurant finding a scarf under their table. A man picks up the scarf, folds it and places it in his pocket.

“The scarf was an Alexander McQueen scarf in pink, red and gold, with flowers on it.

“Officers want to speak to a man pictured on CCTV in the restaurant, as he may have important information that could assist the investigation.”

Anyone with information can email paul.southgate@northyorkshire.police.uk. You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC1471 Southgate.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230028534.

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Police reassure Harrogate councillors over knife crime concerns

North Yorkshire Police has sought to reassure people that Harrogate does not have a worse problem with knife crime than other places.

Councillors questioned police about the issue last night after 17-year-old Seb Mitchell lost his life on Claro Road following an incident on February 19.

Rich Ogden, chief inspector at the force, told Harrogate Borough Council‘s overview and scrutiny commission the county was one of the safest in England. However, he added that the force continued to work with young people to educate them not to carry knives.

The meeting heard 98 knives have been dropped off at an amnesty bin in Dragon Road car park at Asda in Harrogate since it was installed in January.

When asked by Cllr Chris Aldred, chair of the committee, whether Harrogate had a problem with knife crime, Ch Insp Ogden said:

“We are living in one of the safest counties in England and we must not forget that.

“Any incident involving a knife can end in tragedy.”

He added:

“I don’t see that Harrogate has a problem more than anywhere else.

“But it would be wrong of me to say that knives are prevalent on the streets. We’ve got to encourage people not to use knives and carry knives at any point. Particularly those who take knives out for their own protection.”

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Ch Insp Ogden added that a large amount of the knives that have been dropped off in the amnesty bin were household kitchen knives and that the facility helped the public to dispose of them safely.

Superintendent Teresa Lam told the committee:

“Even though we are considered the safest force area, we continually liaise with our counterparts across the country including London so that we are continually understanding what the trends and patterns are.”

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with attempted murder on February 20. He is due to appear in court on March 14. Ch Insp Ogden told the meeting it was now a murder investigation.

Harrogate Grammar School pays tribute to Seb Mitchell

Harrogate Grammar School has paid tribute to a pupil who died this past week.

Seb Mitchell, 17, died following an incident on Claro Road on February 19. He died in hospital two days later.

Paying tribute to Seb, Harrogate Grammar School said it was “impossible to find the right words”.

It linked to a GoFundMe page set up for Seb’s family and urged people to donate.

The school said in a post on its social media:

“Sometimes it is impossible to find the right words. Please donate, if you can, to support Seb’s family to raise funds for a memorial.

“Something to remember and never forget a special young man who loved his family & friends so very much. He will be missed.”

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The fundraiser has so far raised £13,975.

The page, which has been set up by Sam Mitchell, said:

Donations will go towards a memorial for us all to remember him by. Any additional funds raised will be donated to a relevant charity (or charities) to be chosen by the family.
We would like to thank you all for all of the kind words and messages we have received and are receiving.

North Yorkshire Police has launched a murder inquiry following Seb’s death.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with attempted murder on February 20. He is due to appear in court on March 14.