North Yorkshire Police are better at dealing with stalking cases than they were a year ago, according to the force’s head of safeguarding.

However, Detective Superintendent Fiona Wynne was concerned that the size of the team currently dealing with the issue was “impacting investigations of stalking”.

The team is currently made up of one detective and two stalking support officers.

North Yorkshire Police said 2.3 million people experience stalking in the UK in a calendar year. The average case lasts for 15 months.

Det Supt Wynne made the assessment while reviewing the force’s 2022 stalking audit at the monthly accountability meeting chaired by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe.

Ms Metcalfe secured £100,000 from the government for the force to carry out the review.

Compared to the 2021, there were “positive increases seen in almost all areas” of how stalking complaints were dealt with in the force control room.

Call handlers were reported to be better at identifying incidents of stalking and knowing how to respond to complainants.

Issues remained, though, with how stalking was logged on the police’s computer systems.

The lack of specialist detectives also meant some low- and medium-level cases could not be dealt with by the stalking team.

Read more

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Zoë Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

“Additional suppressed demand”

North Yorkshire Police predicted that the number of stalking cases would continue to increase.

Part of this was expected to be to victims coming forward detailing historical stalking incidents.

Det Supt Wynne said:

“14% of those [stalking and stalking-related] offences [in 2021] were… historical offences, non-recent offences of stalking. That basically means that there is an additional suppressed demand which we may see unfolding as the years go on.”

Det Supt Wynne also pointed to the fact that more stalking was now being done using digital technology.

Stalkers were also reportedly using digital devices more often. This included using wireless connections to listen into people’s smart speakers and baby monitors.

The force is working with the personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which provides help and advice on stalking.

A 73-year-old woman from Harrogate has been missing for six days as police remain “extremely concerned” for her welfare.

Judith Holliday was reported missing after last being seen on Saturday (August 27) in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police continue to search for Judith and have urged people to remain vigilant and report any sightings of her.

She is described as white, thin build, approximately 5ft in height, with medium-length grey bobbed hair. She was last seen wearing dark-coloured trousers and a blue jacket.

She may still be wearing the distinctive coat.

Police say they now have a new last confirmed sighting of Judith, on Saturday, August 27 in North Rigton.

Officers said it’s believed that Judith left Harrogate by bus, then flagged down a member of the public and asked for a lift to the village.

Judith also has links to Wetherby and sightings have been reported in Wetherby, Knaresborough, Otley and Ilkley.

Read more:

• Reported sighting of missing Harrogate woman in Wetherby
• Police growing ‘increasingly concerned’ for missing Harrogate woman

Louise Pegg, North Yorkshire Police Critical Incident Inspector, said:

“We are extremely concerned for the welfare of Judith as she has now been missing for nearly a week.

“Judith requires medication and has dementia but often presents fit and well.

“Judith’s family are doing everything they can to help locate Judith and officers are supporting them as we continue to try and locater her.

“If required, the searches will continue across the weekend. I would urge any members of the public who are out and about today and this weekend to remain vigilant and report any immediate sightings of Judith to 999.”

Anyone with any information that could assist with the search should call 101 and quote ref number 12220153505.

Any immediate sightings should be reported to 999.

A 38-year-old man has been jailed after carrying a hammer in public in Harrogate town centre.

Graham McMillan, of no fixed address, appeared before York Magistrates Court on Tuesday (August 30) charged with carrying an offensive weapon without lawful excuse.

McMillan was arrested by police outside Clintons card shop on Cambridge Street on Sunday, August 28.

Officers were responding to reports of a man carrying a hammer in the town centre and swearing at people on Oxford Street.

At the hearing on Tuesday, McMillan was sentenced to 42 weeks in prison. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187.

Read more:

• Man charged after Land Rover stolen from Harrogate driveway

• Man arrested in Harrogate on suspicion of carrying weapon

• Harrogate woman sentenced for assaulting three police officers

The court said it imposed the sentence as the offence was serious and McMillan had breached a suspended sentence previously imposed on him.

Magistrates said they took into account the defendant’s guilty plea when handing down the punishment.

A senior North Yorkshire Police officer has called the force’s average 999 response time of 20 seconds an “unacceptable number.”

Head of Operational Training, Planning & Logistics Superintendent, Michael Walker, made the comments as part of his update on the force’s performance at the monthly Public Accountability Meeting chaired by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe. He said:

“The average speed of answer is 20 seconds. The target is obviously 10 seconds, so that number is an unacceptable number, which I know is an unacceptable number. Which is why we’ve put in several measures… to improve that.”

Under Home Office targets, 90% of emergency calls should be answered in under 10 seconds.

The Stray Ferret reported last week that in July North Yorkshire Police were only answering 39.9% of these within the target period – the lowest in the country.

However, Supt Walker aimed to reassure the public that work was being done to reduce the problem.

He promised that there would be 10% more staff in the force’s York control room by the end of September.

Recruitment and training of new call handlers was already underway.

In the meantime, he explained, 20 police staff with previous experience of call handling had been brought in to assist the team.

This included serving police officers, though Supt Walker confirmed that they had only been moved where it had been deemed safe to do so.

He added that the force had a “determination” to improve.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe and Superintendent Michael Walker in the Public Accountability Meeting.

Increased demand and pocket dials

Also discussed in the meeting was the increasing number of emergency calls.

The number of people calling 999 has increased since 2018, with a peak during the pandemic.

Supt Walker also revealed that one in 10 emergency calls were pocket dials.

That meant the force had to spend time call people back to ensure that there was no emergency taking place.

A 38-year-old man was arrested in Harrogate this past weekend on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon.

Officers were called to Cambridge Street at 2.20pm on Sunday (August 28) to reports of a man carrying a hammer and swearing at people on Oxford Street.

North Yorkshire Police arrested the man a short time later.

A police statement added:

“The man was arrested a short time later in Cambridge Street, on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon. He remains under investigation while enquiries continue.”

Read more:

• Police growing ‘increasingly concerned’ for missing Harrogate woman

• Harrogate care boss relieved as government ends mandatory covid testing

North Yorkshire Police says it is growing ‘increasingly concerned’ for the welfare of missing Harrogate woman Judith Holliday who has been missing since Saturday.

Judith, who is 73, was last seen on Saturday at 10.43am at Library Gardens in Harrogate after she left her care home.

She is described as white, thin build, approximately 5ft in height, with medium-length grey bobbed hair. She was last seen wearing dark-coloured trousers and a coat.

The police have deployed their operational support unit as well as a drone to search for her.

Judith requires daily medication and it’s believed she doesn’t have this with her. She has a limited amount of cash and doesn’t have a mobile phone.

Anyone with information that could help with the search should email matthew.bulmer@northyorkshire.police.uk. You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Matthew Bulmer.

If you have an immediate sighting of Judith call 999.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220153505

Read more:

• Police in Harrogate appeal for missing 73 year old woman

• Harrogate care boss relieved as government ends mandatory covid testing

Police have warned Harrogate residents not to be alarmed by a “loud noise” this afternoon as a controlled explosion is carried out.

Officers have been dealing with a report of a suspected unexploded grenade from the Second World War in a rural area on the outskirts of the town.

Posting on social media around noon, North Yorkshire Police said a controlled explosion would be carried out around half an hour later. The post said:

“Earlier this morning a member of the public contacted us after they found an item, they believed, could have been an unexploded grenade from WW2.

“They were using a metal detector in a rural area on the outskirts of Harrogate at the time of the find.

“A 100 metre cordon has been put in place there has been no need to evacuate homes or businesses due to the rural location.

“Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians are on their way to the scene to make the area safe.”

Read more:

• How did a First World War bomb end up in Knaresborough?
• Bomb squad detonates First World War bomb in Knaresborough

Harrogate driver tests positive for drug driving twice in two days

A driver in Harrogate has tested positive for drug driving twice in 48 hours.

North Yorkshire Police stopped the vehicle after information showed they had been arrested two days ago.

They had initially been arrested for drug driving and a further test was confirmed as positive for cannabis.

The driver was released under investigation.

Make that twice in 48 hours after the driver tested positive again for #Cannabis on a @DrugWipeUK An evidential sample has been obtained & will be sent to @RSSS_DianeFair for analysis. Driver has been released under investigation pending the result of this #Fatal5 #DrugDriving pic.twitter.com/xrFKYFp5Hd

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) August 25, 2022

Read more:

• Don’t call 999 to report hosepipe ban breaches, say police
• Cocaine dealer jailed for ‘peddling misery’ in Harrogate

Police have urged people not to call 999 to report breaches of the hosepipe ban in the Harrogate district.

Yorkshire Water announced the ban this month following days of dry weather and high temperatures.

It comes into force today and is the first hosepipe ban in the area since 1995.

Now, North Yorkshire Police has urged the public not to report any breaches to the force.

Police said in a statement that any flouting of the ban was a civil matter not a criminal one and any calls would divert handlers away from “real emergencies”.

The force said:

“In other parts of the county, we’ve already seen colleagues receiving hundreds of 999 calls about the hosepipe bans, even before restrictions come into place.

“But the hosepipe ban is a civil matter, not a criminal one, and should not be reported to the police.

“And crucially, every call made to the police about the hosepipe ban is diverting our call handlers away from dealing with real emergencies.”

Police have urged people to follow advice on the Yorkshire Water website if they suspect potential breaches of the ban.

It comes as the Harrogate district is officially in drought following long spells of dry weather this summer.

Read more:

• Hosepipe ban introduced for Harrogate district
• Harrogate district now officially in drought

The Environment Agency declared the drought status last week. The last drought in Yorkshire was declared in autumn 2018.

On the hosepipe ban, Neil Dewis, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said:

“Parts of Yorkshire have seen the lowest rainfall since our records began more than 130 years ago.

“The hot, dry, weather means that Yorkshire’s rivers are running low and our reservoirs are around 20% lower than we would expect for this time of year.

“We’ve been doing everything we can to avoid putting in restrictions but unfortunately, they’re now necessary as part of our drought planning.”

The hosepipe ban includes:

Watering a garden using a hosepipe
Cleaning vehicles or boats using a hosepipe
Watering plants with a hosepipe
Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use
Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe
Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe

People can still undertake these activities without using a hosepipe if they use tap water from a bucket or watering can; or use water that is not sourced from taps such as grey water, rainwater from a water butt, or a private borehole, for example.

Businesses will be allowed to use a hosepipe if it is directly related to a commercial purpose.

There are restrictions on using a hosepipe if not for those essential commercial needs – so using a hosepipe to clean a path outside a business property, for example, would not be allowed.

Blue badge holders, those on Yorkshire Water’s Priority Services register or WaterSure tariff for medical reasons, are also excluded from the ban.

More information is available here.

New figures show that North Yorkshire Police is now the worst police force for responding to 999 calls.

Forces are expected to meet the Home Office target of answering 90% of emergency calls within 10 seconds.

Home Office data showed that, in July, North Yorkshire only managed this 39.9% of the time.

The best performing force was Nottinghamshire Police, which achieved 87% – still below the 90% target.

North Yorkshire Police has often been close to the foot of the table but this was the second month in a row when it was actually last.

The force’s own statistics show its latest average 999 response time for the month of July was 20 seconds. This was higher than its 36-month average of 18.84 seconds.

The figures will come under the spotlight at the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s monthly public accountability meeting next Tuesday, August 30.

Data published by the commissioner’s office in advance of the meeting revealed the number of 999 calls increased by 8% in July 2022 compared with the same month last year.

Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

‘A huge increase’

The North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office was approached for comment on the slow response times but a spokesman said the issue would be discussed at next week’s meeting.

Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe told the Stray Ferret in June that she was working to reduce delays in answering 101 and 999 calls in the police control room.

She said there had been a “huge increase” in 999 and non-emergency 101 calls.

Ms Metcalfe has pledged £140,000 to increase the number of staff working in the force control room.