A 32-year-old Harrogate man has been arrested following a reported assault on Bower Street.

Police were called by the ambulance service at 6.20pm on Saturday after the victim, a man in his fifties, was found with serious head injuries in the street.

The victim was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition.

The 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent. He has since been released on conditional police bail to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.

It was revealed last month that railings are to be installed on Bower Street in an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour.

North Yorkshire Police is urging anyone who witnessed the incident but has not yet spoken to police to get in touch on 101. The incident number is 12220201215

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

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Two men and a woman have been arrested after police stopped two cars and found dozens of bags of cocaine in the Harrogate area.

North Yorkshire Police said today two different vehicles were searched.

As well as suspected cocaine, a lock knife was also found in one of the cars and the driver was banned from driving.

A man in his 20s has been charged with possessing a blade and driving while disqualified. He was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class-A drugs.

A woman, also in her 20s was also arrested on suspicion of class-A drug offences.

A second man in the other vehicle, who is in his 20s, was also arrested on suspicion of possessing class-A drugs.

All were bailed following the drug arrests on Thursday to allow the substances to be inspected by a laboratory as part of police investigations.

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• Three men arrested after police stop vans on A1(M) near Boroughbridge

Three men have been arrested after police stopped two vans on the A1(M) near Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Police identified the vans near junction 48 after acting on intelligence at around 10pm on Sunday (November 6).

Officers stopped one of the vehicles heading southbound and found suspicious items inside.

Two men from the Barnsley area were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle.

Police then spotted the second van, which was towing a horse box, heading further south.

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After officers attempted to stop it, the driver jumped out and ran into the countryside.

A police helicopter was called and guided officers to the suspect in the field.

Officers arrested a man in his 20s from the Durham area on suspicion of vehicle theft and driving without a licence or insurance.

A police statement added:

“Enquiries are ongoing and the three men remain in custody at this time.”

Two men have been arrested following a suspected knifepoint robbery near Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Police were called at 1.40pm yesterday to reports that a couple had been robbed when they turned up at a house in Farnham to buy a vehicle that had been advertised for sale.

According to police, the pair were threatened by a group of suspects who stole their car and a large amount of cash inside it.

The suspects then fled in the vehicle and a van.

Police tracked down the stolen car to the A61 near Harewood after using automatic number plate recognition.

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The suspects ran from the vehicle and a police firearms support unit, dog and police drone tracked them down to a wooded area.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and possession of a Class B drug and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery, possession of a Class B drug, driving with no insurance, driving whilst disqualified and possession of an offensive weapon.

The suspects currently remain in police custody and both vehicles were recovered.

A man has been arrested after a disturbance in Ripon city centre this afternoon.

North Yorkshire Police officers were called to Market Square just after 1pm following reports of a man acting aggressively.

An eye witness, who did not wish to be named, told the Stray Ferret two police vans appeared quickly after an altercation.

A police statement said:

“A man in his 30s has been arrested in connection with the incident and on suspicion of assaulting an emergency services worker. Investigations are ongoing.”

Anyone with information can contact the police, quoting reference number 12220191661.

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North Yorkshire Police is appealing for help finding a Land Rover Discovery, which was stolen from Wormald Green.

Police today released pictures of the grey vehicle, which they say was taken from an address in the village, which is midway between Ripon and Harrogate.

It was stolen at about 11.30pm on Wednesday last week.

A police statement said:

“Please keep your eyes peeled for the car and if you have any info, call 101 quoting ref: 12220186546.”

A police image of the wanted vehicle.

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Two 16-year-old boys have been arrested after a Mercedes was stolen from a home in Harrogate.

The black Mercedes G Class, registration YK71 NKZ, was taken from Harcourt Drive in the early hours of Friday, October 21.

The two boys arrested in relation to the incident have since been released on conditional bail while police continue their enquiries.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Offers are appealing for anyone who has information about the incident, or the stolen car, or who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time, to contact police.”

To report information, call 101, press one and use reference 12220187200.

Alternatively, report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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• Police appeal for help to track down child’s bike stolen from Harrogate home
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Police are appealing for help to track down a child’s bike stolen from outside a home in Harrogate.

The Trek 3700 bike was taken from outside the property on Claro Avenue between Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8.

It is silver with black and green writing. There are scratches on the handlebars and some on the frame.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are appealing for information for any witnesses who may have seen this incident or the stolen bike. We are also appealing for anyone locally with CCTV that may assist with locating this item.”

Anyone with information can email jemma.grant@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option two and ask for PC649 Grant, using reference 12220183582.

Alternatively, to report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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A senior police officer has voiced concerns that the closure of Harrogate’s mental health assessment suite is putting an added strain on emergency services.

North Yorkshire Police chief inspector Alex Langley said people who are detained under the Mental Health Act have been taken as far as Scarborough or Darlington after the closure of the section 136 suite at Harrogate District Hospital’s Briary Wing in May 2020.

It has meant police officers have been out of action for several hours as they drive detainees around the county.

Speaking at a recent Harrogate Borough Council meeting, Chf Insp Langley described the scale of the mental health crisis and impact on officers as “phenomenal”. He said.

“We don’t have a section 136 suite in Harrogate any more so if we detain somebody under the mental health act we could end up in Darlington or Scarborough, and that is a real challenge for us.

“They have to go in an ambulance and it takes multiple officers and a significant amount of time.”

He added:

“I would love for my officers to not have to go to any mental health incidents and actually send a mental health professional with better training and competence than we have.

“But in reality with the cuts, if we get a call from somebody who is in crisis and we are the last barrier then we have to go.”

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Mental health services in the Harrogate district are provided by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust, which said it has an assessment suite in Haxby, north of York.

It added its staff work closely with North Yorkshire Police and that new ways of working have seen a reduction in detentions under the mental health act.

Impact on police times

Zoe Campbell, managing director of the trust’s North Yorkshire, York and Selby care group, said:

“For many people, receiving care and treatment in their own home can have the best outcome.

“We aim to provide crisis support and mental health assessments in a person’s home or as close to home as we can.

“Where this is not possible, we provide alternative places of safety for an assessment to take place. This way of working has seen a reduction in the number of people detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act.”

The lack of custody cells for all types of arrests was recently raised as a concern by county councillors who said they were worried over a wider impact on police response times.

Members of North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Panel have asked commissioner Zoe Metcalfe to provide a report into the impact of officers in the north of the county having to take detainees to Harrogate and Scarborough following the closure of cells in Richmond and Northallerton.

Panel member Martin Walker, a former judge, told commissioner Metcalfe he had received various reports that police were “not arresting people that perhaps they should” because of the added travel time. He said:

“I can’t see there is any other reason for doing it than saving money.”

Police have appealed for a key witness to come forward after a 19-year-old man was assaulted in Starbeck.

The man was attacked by four teenage boys while walking across Belmont Park towards Wentworth Close on August 31 between 4.30pm and 5pm. He had to go to hospital with an eye injury.

A teenage girl intervened in the assault and the teenagers walked away.

As part of an investigation into the assault, officers are appealing for the girl to come forward.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“There is no further description of the suspects, but the victim recalls one of the teenage boys was carrying a blue tooth speaker at the time of the assault.

“As well as appealing for the key witness to get in touch, officers are also asking for any information or private CCTV footage that could help to identify the suspects.

“If you can help the investigation, please email jemma.grant@northyorkshire.police.uk. You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Jemma Grant.

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

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220156586 when providing details.”

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