Two drug dealers have been jailed after being caught with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine in Harrogate.

Angel Angelov and Tsonko Peev, both 25 and from Leeds, were sent to prison after pleading guilty to possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

On the afternoon of November 10 last year, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite team, which tackles county lines drug dealing, stopped a vehicle on its way to Harrogate from Leeds.

The driver, Angelov, was searched, and found with 26 bags of cocaine in a mint tin and a lock knife.

Some of the cocaine seized by North Yorkshire Police.

As the investigation continued, officers stopped another vehicle on Leeds Road in Harrogate on December 5. Inside were Angelov and Peev. 

This time, Angelov was found with 20 bags of cocaine hidden in the lining of his coat, and a further 11 bags were found hidden by the handbrake.

Read more:

• Cyclist seriously injured in collision with van near Weeton
• Police urge drivers to ‘put their phones away’ after Ripon Snapchat death

Both were charged and pleaded guilty at York Crown Court yesterday (February 7) to the offences.

Angelov was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. Meanwhile, Peev was jailed for two years and three months.

PC George Frost, from the Operation Expedite team, said: 

“Following a swift investigation, two drug dealers have been taken off the streets of Harrogate, along with thousands of pounds worth of Class A drugs.

“Dealers like Angelov and Peev seek to exploit the vulnerabilities of users and their addictions for their own selfish financial gain. The effects of drug dealing and drug use are felt far and wide, leading to violence, anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime.

“I hope the people of Harrogate and wider North Yorkshire feel reassured by the result of the investigation and the jail sentences. We are committed to protecting the vulnerable in our communities, and are working night and day to keep drug dealers out of the area.”

North Yorkshire Police has announced it is to consider a major overhaul of how it operates to boost visible frontline policing amid a £14 hike in its share of council tax.

Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe and force chief constable Lisa Winward made the announcement as they revealed they would ask residents to pay 4.99% extra council tax for the service, despite leaving more than 120 posts vacant.

A meeting of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel yesterday was told the review could lead to an increase in uniformed officers attending incidents such as burglaries.

Zoe Metcalfe

Ms Metcalfe told the panel of North Yorkshire and York councillors and experts that inflation was set to present an ongoing challenge to the force’s finances, so an operational and organisational review of the force would be undertaken for the first time in eight years.

She said the review would aim to deliver the best possible frontline and visible policing services, while a pause on the recruitment of police community support officers would create an opportunity to “redesign neighbourhood policing”.

However, the commissioner added she would be expecting the chief constable to “grip the force’s finances tightly”.

Two members of the panel highlighted that the force would be asking the average band D householder to pay £14.03 extra “when they will actually be getting less in terms of 50 less PCSOs and 74 less staff”.

Read more

• Fire service availability ‘incredibly concerning’ says North Yorkshire commissioner
• North Yorkshire fire service has adequate funding, says minister
• North Yorkshire Police to balance books by leaving 120 posts vacant

The band D £295.08 demand will mean an average rise of more than £90 in the amount residents are obliged to pay North Yorkshire Police to cover the cost of the police service not paid for by central government over the last decade.

Chief constable Lisa Winward

Chief constable Lisa Winward said there had been a huge change in the nature of demand since the force’s last overhaul in 2015, including “a massive increase in technology and the seizure of technology, an increase in child abuse and rising online crime”.

She said:

“The sort of work that our officers are now doing predominantly has changed since 2015. We have tried within the existing budget to investigate and deliver a high-quality policing service.

“We really need to go back to the core of policing, investigation, arresting by people and being physically present in our communities.”

The meeting heard despite focused recruitment campaigns the force had been unable to recruit PCSOs as people were either joining the service as officers or were seeing “more favourable jobs” elsewhere, so the police budget needed to be spent elsewhere.

The meeting was told the precept increase would also be used for “urgent” service improvements, such as £1.9m extra to improve 999 emergency call handling times, 101 call handling time, and expand means of the public contacting police.

The report states: 

“Demand profiling has identified that in comparison to other forces, North Yorkshire Police have a significantly smaller workforce in the control room than other comparable forces.”

Costs facing the force are expected to increase by £18m, mainly due to pay rises and inflation.

With a £1.5m injection it is proposed to boost frontline uniformed response teams, which will see the number of officers rise to 1,645.

After the meeting, the panel’s chairman, Cllr Carl Les, said he did not believe it was a case of people paying more for less, but rather that residents would be paying more because of inflation, for a service that would be different in future.

He said:

“I think at the moment it is the only thing the commissioner can do. We really are between a rock and a hard place this year in budget-setting terms.

“We know that there is a cost of living crisis and how hard it is going to be for some people to pay any increase whatever that might be, but equally all the services are facing the same sorts of pressures we are.”

A body has been found in the search for missing Ripon man Gavin Dhont.

Mr Dhont, 45, was reported missing on December 13, after last being seen in the city on December 6.

North Yorkshire Police said this afternoon a body recovered from the River Ure on January 29 had been identified as Mr Dhont.

A brief police statement said:

“A body recovered from the River Ure on 29 January 2023 has been identified as Gavin Dhont, a Ripon man who was reported missing on 13 December 2022.

“Mr Dhont’s family have been informed and we would ask that their privacy is respected.”

Read more:

• Cyclist seriously injured in collision with van near Weeton
• Police urge drivers to ‘put their phones away’ after Ripon Snapchat death

Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision near Weeton in which a cyclist was seriously injured.

It occurred on the A658 Harrogate Road between Weeton railway station and Pool Bridge on Monday, January 30, between 5.50pm and 6.15pm.

A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:

“It involved a van and a bicycle, which collided near to Riffa Business Park, resulting in serious injury to the cyclist.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident, or may have relevant dashcam of the collision or the van or bike involved, is asked to contact TC174 David Minto of North Yorkshire Police Road Policing Group.

“Please either dial 101, or email david.minto@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference number NYP-30012023-0380.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire Police to balance books by leaving 120 posts vacant
• Pothole damages dozens of cars on busy Harrogate district road
• Rain highlights concerns about state of Harrogate district drains and gullies

Police in Harrogate have located a woman missing from home since last night.

Issuing an appeal early this morning, North Yorkshire Police said she was believed to be driving around the Harrogate area.

The force has since confirmed the missing woman has been found and thanks those who shared the appeal.

Read more:

• Police seek hit and run driver after scooter rider hurt in Harrogate
• Appeal to trace suspect after assault in Harrogate

Two online fundraising appeals have so far raised more than £2,000 for two teenagers who were injured in a crash in Harrogate.

The 15-year-old boys, Reuben and Fraser, were taken to hospital when a van collided with a wall on Yew Tree Lane last Thursday.

Lorraine Mitchell, a friend of both teenagers’ parents, set up a GoFundMe page following the crash.

The boys, both pupils at Rossett School, were walking along Yew Tree Lane and were left with serious injuries.

So far, the page has raised £1,090.

Ms Mitchell, who spoke to the Stray Ferret about the campaign, said the money would help the teenagers’ parents be with them during their recovery. She said:

“We were all shocked and incredibly saddened by the crash and know this support will be gratefully received by both families.”

Read more:

• Two drivers interviewed over collision with teens on Yew Tree Lane
• Man taken to hospital after empty overturned car discovered in Harrogate

Meanwhile, Julie Mills, of Ainsty Road in Harrogate, also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the families of the two teenagers.

Posting on the fundraiser, Ms Mills said:

“The families of these young boys are going to need all the help and support at this terrible time.”

At the time of writing, the campaign has generated £1,319.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed this morning that no arrests or charges had been made in relation to the incident.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has revealed a plan to leave more than 120 jobs vacant this year to balance the books.

Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative commissioner, will ask a panel of North Yorkshire and York councillors on Monday to consider increasing the force’s council tax demand by 4.99%, which would amount to £14.03 extra for the average band D household.

The band D £295.08 demand would represents an average rise of more than £90 in the amount residents are obliged to pay North Yorkshire Police to cover the cost of the police service not paid for by central government.

Under the proposal, North Yorkshire taxpayers would be contributing 45% of their police force’s £191m income. In contrast Northumberland residents’ contribution only equates to 19.3% of their force’s funding.

Of 2,343 responses from residents over the proposed police budget, some 55% said they would be prepared to pay up to £5.60 more – an increase of up to 1.99%.

Nevertheless, the commissioner’s report concludes there is “significant support from the public for an increase of at least £10”.

However, a report by the commissioner to the panel also highlights that North Yorkshire has among the highest policing precept levels in England and Wales but will need ro make £8.2m of savings in the coming year to balance the books.

The report states:

“I have been clear with the force that in asking the public of North Yorkshire to pay more they should expect more from their police service.

“As you would expect with the predicted continuing inflation and potential pay awards that the budget will continue to be a challenge and therefore the chief constable has indicated that an organisational and operational review will be taking place to restructure the organisation to deliver the best possible front
line and visible policing services within the new future budget constraints.”

The proposed precept increase will also be used for long-awaited service improvements, such as £1.9m extra to improve 999 emergency call handling times, 101 call handling time, and expand means of the public contacting police.

The report states:

“Demand profiling has identified that in comparison to other forces, North Yorkshire Police have a significantly smaller workforce in the control room than other comparable forces.”

Read More:

• Fewer than half of 999 calls in North Yorkshire being answered on time
• North Yorkshire has lowest IOPC complaints rate of all police forces

Rising cost of policing

Costs facing the force are expected to increase by £18m, mainly due to pay rises and inflation.

With a £1.5m injection it is proposed to boost frontline uniformed response teams, which will see the number of officers rise to 1,645.

Since 2001, the number of response offices in the City, County and Coastal Command units has risen significantly, from 87, 142 and 96 to 146, 163 and 105 respectively.

The report says due to the labour market crisis, some 50 Police Community Support Officers posts “have been unable to be filled despite recruitment efforts”, and will remain unfilled this year to save £2m, particularly as the force already employs the highest proportion of PCSOs compared to other staff in England.

To cut costs by another £1.2m it is proposed the force will allow non-officer staff vacancies rise from 50 to 74.

Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s shadow home secretary, raised North Yorkshire Police’s proposal in the House of Commons.

Labour’s Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, raised North Yorkshire Police’s proposal to leave 120 vacancies unfilled in the House of Commons on Tuesday (January 31).

She said the move was a reflection of increasingly fewer police staff across the country.

Ms Cooper said:

“There are 6,000 fewer neighbourhood officers and 8,000 fewer PCSOs, with the number of PCSOs having halved since 2010. Neighbourhood teams have been decimated.

“People say they do not see the police on the street any more—that is because, across the country, they are not on the street any more.”

Meanwhile, the report states extra resources are needed to cope with increased demands on areas such as child protection, domestic violence and safeguarding the most vulnerable, as the need for more officers to investigate burglaries, robberies, and serious violence has become plain.

The report states:

“This has now reached a point where the demands and workload are no longer manageable and an increase in resources is required.”

Two people were taken to hospital after a collision on the A658 near North Rigton last night.

The collision happened around 8pm last night, at the junction with Hall Green Lane, and involved two cars.

Sgt Paul Cording, of North Yorkshire Police‘s roads policing team, posted images of the damage to the cars on social media, adding:

“Amazingly no serious injuries although two taken to hospital by our [Yorkshire Ambulance Service] colleagues.

“Huge thanks to the off duty student nurse who stopped to help.”

Emergency services remained on the scene to deal with the situation for some time.

A flying start to the nightshift too as we turned out straight away to a 2 vehicle RTC on the #A658 near North Rigton. Amazingly no serious injuries although two taken to hospital by our @YorksAmbulance colleagues. Huge thanks to the off duty student nurse who stopped to help pic.twitter.com/mGGytqlZWR

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) February 3, 2023

Read more:

• Two Rossett pupils seriously hurt in collision remain in hospital tonight
• Man taken to hospital after empty overturned car discovered in Harrogate

Two 15-year-old Rossett School boys remain in hospital tonight after being seriously injured in a collision that involved three vehicles.

The incident happened around 8.45am when one of the vehicles, a pick-up truck, collided with a wall and went into the grounds of Ashville College on Yew Tree Lane.

The boys were walking to school when the accident happened.

Tonight police gave details of the three vehicles involved: a black Ford Ranger, a blue Ford Fiesta and a white Vauxhall Astra. All the drivers remained at the scene and provided information to police.

No arrests have been made and the boys, who were taken to hospital by ambulance, remain there this evening and continue to be treated. Their families have been notified.

Road closures are still in place but are due to be lifted later this evening.

A nearby resident told the Stray Ferret she heard screaming and “a lot of commotion”. She said:

“I didn’t know what had happened but I was saying to my boyfriend, ‘how has this person done this?’ Then there was a lot of commotion and I said, ‘I think they must have hit someone’.”

The witness, who asked not to be named, said there were ambulances on the scene very quickly, followed by other emergency services, and she had “never seen so many emergency vehicles”.

Although she did not witness the collision, the witness said she saw the scene moments later as others rushed to help.

She added:

“The school children were down there first, trying to help and do something. Everyone got ushered and moved away when the teachers came out from the school.

“The school first aider came out and covered [the injured teenagers] in silver foil blankets until the paramedics arrived and took over.”

Tonight, police appealed for all witnesses to come forward:

“This will have been a distressing incident to witness, and we urge those who have been affected by the events to seek the necessary help if needed.

“We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the events or who has a dashcam and was travelling in the area around the time of the collision to contact us.

“This can be done by calling 101 and quoting reference number NYP-02022023-0100.”

Read more:

• Two Rossett pupils seriously injured as pick-up truck hits wall outside Harrogate school
• Man taken to hospital after empty overturned car discovered in Harrogate