A man in his 60s has been left seriously injured after a collision in Harrogate.
The incident happened at 5.30pm on Thursday (November 30) at the junction of Roberts Crescent and Knapping Hill.
It involved a pedestrian and a white Vauxhall van. A man in his 60s was taken to hospital by ambulance where he is in a serious but stable condition.
The van driver, also from Harrogate, is assisting police with the investigation.
Officers have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage of the collision.
A North Yorkshire Police statement said:
“Police are appealing for any witnesses to collision or motorists with relevant dashcam footage to come forward as soon as possible.
“Please email Chris.Storey@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2, and ask for Chris Storey. quoting reference number 12230227805.”
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Police seek wanted Harrogate man
Police have appealed for information on a wanted man from Harrogate.
Bailey George Samuel Townend, 21, is believed to be evading arrest after being recalled back to prison.
He was released from prison on licence on November 1, 2023, after being handed a 51-week custodial sentence for burglary and theft offences.
However, the Probation Service has reported that Townend has failed to reside at approved accommodation in Leeds, thereby breaching his licence.
A North Yorkshire Police statement said:
“Police enquiries are ongoing in the Harrogate and Leeds areas in the effort to return Townend to prison.
“Townend is described as white, 5ft 8in tall, slim build, with short brown hair and green eyes.
If you can help us track him down, please report information to North Yorkshire Police on 101, option 4, and speak to the Force Control Room.
“For immediate sightings, dial 999 to ensure a rapid response.
“Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
Please quote reference number 12230220557 when providing details.”
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Fraudster who targeted Harrogate woman for hundreds of thousands of pounds jailed
A serial fraudster who manipulated a Harrogate woman into giving him hundreds of thousands of pounds has been jailed.
Marc Raven, 61, claimed he was a successful businessman, and deceived the victim into marrying him and selling her home.
Raven, of no fixed address, caused “immeasurable damage” to her and her family, York Crown Court heard.
He pleaded guilty to fraud against two women.
Raven, who had also been known as Marc Bookey, Marc Cohen and Marc Stewart, met one of the victims through a dating app in January 2018, and they were married by October.
Raven told her he had a large amount of money in a Singaporean bank account that he was having difficulty accessing. He encouraged her to sell her home in Harrogate and use the money to live on, making her believe they would soon be buying a property worth more than £1 million.
Meanwhile, he was taking money from her, with the promise he would pay her back when his money arrived. They made offers on a number of houses, but this would never progress, with Raven blaming the sellers.
Between June 2018 and May 2019, the victim had transferred him more than £200,000. She had to declare herself bankrupt and move in with family.
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Raven was arrested by North Yorkshire Police. During the course of their investigation into him, officers discovered another victim in Singapore.
Raven had begun a relationship with her in 2016, and the following year he contacted her to say he had been hospitalised in Dubai, and needed money to pay medical fees and customs fines.
In reality, Raven was fit and well in the UK. Between July 2017 and August 2018, the victim transferred about £100,000 to Raven.
When interviewed by police, Raven continued to claim that he had money in Singapore. As part of the investigation, international financial enquiries were carried out there, showing his claims were false.
‘Immeasurable damage’
In a personal statement read at court yesterday, the daughter of the woman Raven married said:
“The damage Marc has done to my family is immeasurable, and no punishment will ever repair the damage he’s done to my mum. I just hope that he’s unable to cause this much harm and pain to anyone again.”
Raven was jailed for eight years and one month.
DC Neil Brodhurst, of North Yorkshire Police, said:
Woman in 70s injured following Harrogate collision“Raven was a serial fraudster, who lied again and again to obtain money from women he was in a relationship with. It’s no exaggeration to say his deception has shattered lives.
“While nothing can undo the damage he has caused, I hope that this result can at least bring about some closure for the victims. And it will ensure that no one else can ever be taken in by his lies, or forced to suffer what they have endured.
“Financial abuse is a form of domestic abuse. It can happen to anyone of any age. Sometimes it can take a long time for victims to realise what is happening. But if you feel uncomfortable about how someone you know is behaving with your money, they may be financially abusing you.
“It’s not easy to take the first step to break free of financial abuse, but you will not be alone – the police are here to support you. Call us on 101. We will talk to you in confidence about the help that’s available.”
A woman in her 70s has suffered injuries following a collision on Skipton Road in Harrogate.
The incident happened at the Texaco garage at 9:45am yesterday (November 27) when a Vauxhall Corsa collided with a pedestrian who was crossing the road.
The pedestrian, a woman in her 70s, is receiving treatment in hospital.
North Yorkshire Police is now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to gather further information.
In a statement, the force said:
“The pedestrian suffered injuries following the collision and is receiving treatment in hospital.
“The driver of the Corsa is assisting officers with their investigation.
“Anyone who witnessed the collision, saw the vehicle involved or the pedestrian in the moments leading up to it, or has dashcam footage, is urged to make contact with North Yorkshire Police if they have not already done so.
“Please email ian.mckenzie@northyorkshire.police.uk or phone 101 quoting reference number 12230225350 when passing on information.”
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- Harrogate anti-knife crime scheme to be expanded across county
- Police seek man after public order offence at Ripon Cathedral
A scheme to tackle knife crime in Harrogate that collected more than 50 blades within its first month is to be expanded with £15,000 of funding.
A metal safe bin was installed in January at the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate and was used by people surrendering knives that might otherwise be used as offensive or dangerous weapons.
Between January and last week, which was national Knife Crime Awareness Week, more than 500 knives and bladed articles were deposited at that location.
The new funding has been awarded to North Yorkshire Council from the Office of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Serious Violence Duty – Prevention and Early Intervention fund.
It will enable the council, in partnership with City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police, to install knife-drop bins across the North Yorkshire and York.
Following local government reorganisation, North Yorkshire Council has committed to expanding the scheme. Although North Yorkshire is regarded as one of the safest counties in England and Wales, knife crime remains an issue.
There were more than 2,700 recorded incidents in the Harrogate district where a knife or bladed article was involved or mentioned between January 2020 and June 2022.
Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“Knife bins have proved their worth wherever they have been located.
“I am delighted that my office has been able to provide funding to this project. We can never truly reverse the impact of a violent crime after it has occurred, and so it is crucial that we are able to support preventative measures like this which are proven to reduce the risk of these crimes happening in the first place.“My office supports a range of services designed to do just that, providing support for victims of crime as well as addressing the underlying causes of reoffending.
“North Yorkshire is statistically one of the safest parts of the UK, but that does not mean we should ever rest on our laurels, and we will always strive to ensure that residents of our region are able to be safe and feel safe.”
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The number of fatal stabbings in England and Wales is reported to be at its highest level since records began more than 75 years ago.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show 282 homicides were committed using a knife or sharp instrument in the year to March 2022, which is a 19 per cent rise when compared to the previous year.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Cllr David Chance, said:
“I am delighted the bid for funding had been approved.
“Knife bins will not reduce these horrendous statistics on their own, but they have proven to be a successful way of preventing knives and bladed articles from getting into the wrong hands.
“Knife crime has devastating consequences for all those involved. If installing these bins leads to the prevention of just one death, then the investment will have been worthwhile.”
Locations are currently being considered for the new knife-drop bins. Once the locations have been decided, members of the public will be able to deposit the knife or bladed article through the bin’s hatch. People are advised to wrap the blade in thick paper or cardboard and secure with tape as a safety precaution.
The bins will then be emptied by officers from North Yorkshire Police and the items disposed of.
The Government’s Serious Violence Duty, introduced in January, requires the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to bring organisations, such as North Yorkshire Council, together to develop and implement strategies that help prevent and reduce serious violence.
North Yorkshire Council’s head of community safety and CCTV, Odette Robson, said:
Police seek man after public order offence at Ripon Cathedral“This initiative helps us to safeguard our communities and fulfil our commitment to tackling serious violence.”
Police today issued CCTV images of a man they want to speak to following a public order offence at Ripon Cathedral.
The incident took place on Friday, October 20, at about 11.15am. No further details have been released.
North Yorkshire Police described the suspect as white, around 6ft tall and in his early 40s. He is believed to be from the Ripon area.
It said in a statement:
“Officers have released two CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the investigation, as he may have important information about it.”
Anyone with any information can contact PC 116 Craig Brogden at craig.brogden@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference 12230199599.
You can also dial 101, select option 2 and ask for PC 116 Craig Brogden.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Callous vandal attack on small Ripon cafe
The owner of one of Ripon’s smallest cafes, has been dealt a devastating blow caused by an act of mindless vandalism.
Helen Slater, who has run the Cathedral View Cafe for six years, arrived at work this morning to discover that one of the windows at her Bedern Bank premises had been smashed with a rock.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“I was absolutely heartbroken, this has never happened to me before and the timing could not have been worse.”
Ms Slater who arrived in festive dress, ready for a hard day’s work, added:
“With the Ripon Cathedral Gift and Food Fair taking place across the road, I was expecting this to be one of my busiest weekends of the year, as I serve breakfast sandwiches and other food and drink items for people who have stalls at the fair.
“But with a broken window, it wasn’t safe to open and I lost all of that breakfast business, as I had to spend three hours cleaning up, contacting my landlord and reporting the vandal attack to the police.”
With the window boarded up, Cathedral View was able to open in time for the later morning and lunchtime trade and it will be business as usual again tomorrow.
Ms Slater, said:
“I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of fellow traders, customers and other people who have sent me supportive messages, made offers of help and dropped by with flowers and chocolates,
“The generosity of the local community has again shone through and I would particularly like to thank Ripon Walled Garden who cheered me up with the gift of a Christmas tree.”
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Van stolen from Ripon business park
A van has been stolen from a business park near Ripon.
North Yorkshire Police said today the Fiat Ducato light goods vehicle was stolen from e-commerce firm Hemmingways, at Barker Business Park in Melmerby, on Tuesday, November 21.
The incident occurred at 1.15am.
In a statement, the force said:
“The registration number of the vehicle is BV19OPH.
“It is white in colour and has a distinctive blue curtain side.
“If you see the stolen vehicle, or know where it is, please email richard.tindall@northyorkshire.police.uk.
“You can also call us on 101 and ask for Richard Tindall.”
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The reference number is 12230221425.
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Car crashes into traffic lights at busy Harrogate junction
A car crashed into a set of traffic lights at the junction of Claro Road and Skipton Road in Harrogate this morning.
The white Vauxhall hit the lights at around 8:46am.
Police were called to the scene, but no other emergency services were present.
Harrogate traffic sergeant Paul Cording later tweeted nobody was injured.
The car was towed away just before 10am and traffic levels returned to normal shortly afterwards.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said North Yorkshire Council is dealing with the traffic light repair.
Police begin clampdown on uninsured drivers in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire Police began a week-long blitz today on motorists driving without insurance.
Officers on patrol will use automatic number plate recognition and in-car technology to find offenders.
The activity is part of the national police campaign Op Drive Insured.
A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:
“In a three-hour window in the York area, our officers have already seized four vehicles and arrested one uninsured driver on suspicion of drug driving.
“At a time when austerity is high, vehicle insurance is not a cut back you can afford to make.”
You can check if your vehicle is insured here.
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