Body found in search for missing Minskip man

A body has been found in the search for a missing 31-year-old from Minskip, near Boroughbridge.

Luke Earnshaw was reported missing after leaving home on Saturday just before 2.30pm.

He was seen walking down Thorndikes Lane towards Staveley.

North Yorkshire Police said the body found today has not been formally identified but is believed to be that of the missing man. His family have been informed.

Posting on a local Facebook group, a family member thanked everyone who had helped in the search for Mr Earnshaw.

She also praised police officers’ support to the family, adding:

“He’s finally at peace after suffering with mental health for many years.”

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Police seek to identify man after homophobic chanting in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police want to speak to a man in relation to alleged homophobic chanting in Harrogate.

Police today issued a CCTV image of the man they want to talk to.

A statement said officers were investigating a possible hate crime. It added:

“The incident happened on King’s Road in Harrogate near Bambino’s takeaway around 11.45pm on 28 May 2022.

“A group of men were reported to be singing a homophobic chant.”

The statement urged anyone with information to email geeta.maharjan@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2 and ask for 0740.

Or, if you’d prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 1222009231.

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Armed police respond to ‘serious disturbance’ in Harrogate

Armed police were called to a “serious disturbance” on Skipton Road in Harrogate today.

There was a heavy police presence for over an hour when the incident happened near the junction with Westmoreland Street.

A North Yorkshire Police statement at 12.25pm said:

“We’ve just been dealing with a serious disturbance in Harrogate.

“You may still see police in the area around Skipton Road but a man has been arrested.

“The man in his 20s is on his way to custody, suspected of an affray which involved threats to another man. We’ve launched an investigation.

“Anyone who saw anything should call us on 101, select option 1 and speak to our Force Control Room. Please quote reference NYP150622-0139.”

Several witnesses, who asked not to be named, spoke to the Stray Ferret about the incident, which appeared to last for about an hour before two armed officers escorted a man in handcuffs into the back of a police van.

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A witness said the activity appeared to centre on a flat on Westmoreland Street, which can be accessed via a ginnel off Regent Parade, where most police vehicles were parked.

Several business owners told the Stray Ferret they heard a commotion for over an hour late morning.

 

 

Officer who downloaded indecent images ‘betrayed the trust of North Yorkshire Police’

A senior North Yorkshire Police officer has said former officer Christopher Groom ‘betrayed public trust and betrayed North Yorkshire Police’ after he was given a community order for downloading indecent images of children.

Leeds Magistrates Court heard yesterday how Groom, 41, searched the internet for images of youngsters using search terms such as ‘naked young teens’ and ‘youngest naked models’.

Analysis of Groom’s computer tower revealed that he had downloaded 8,707 Category C images of children over what is thought to be a seven-year period.

District Judge Richard Kitson told Groom, of Main Street, Claxton, he would not be sending him to jail because the probation service said he was at low risk of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

Mabs Hussain

Mabs Hussain

Following the end of the court case, North Yorkshire Police deputy chief constable Mabs Hussain said the force “demands the highest level of integrity from our officers and staff.”

He added:

“This is essential to ensure the communities we are proud to serve have complete trust in their police service.

“The abhorrent and criminal actions of Groom have betrayed that public trust and he has betrayed North Yorkshire Police.”

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Groom resigned from North Yorkshire Police ahead of his first court appearance on May 18.

An accelerated misconduct hearing will now be considered by the Chief Constable and the professional standards department.

Groom was investigated by NYP’s online abuse and exploitation team.

Detective Sergeant Steve Alderson said:

“The fact that Groom was a serving North Yorkshire Police officer made no difference to how we conducted the investigation.

“He was treated the same as any other member of the public who become subject to a criminal inquiry and court proceedings.

“This case shows the determination of North Yorkshire Police to secure justice against those involved in indecent images of children offences, no matter who they are.”

Mobile speed van is not ours, says North Yorkshire Police

North Yorkshire Police has denied changing its mobile speed vans in response to an image that has been circulating on social media.

The photograph (above) of the dark blue and yellow vehicle has caused a stir on local Facebook groups, with people complaining that the new vans are harder to recognise.

The image, which has been shared thousands of times, has also sparked a big debate about speeding and mobile cameras in the Harrogate district in general.

Many comments support them and say drivers should not to go too fast in the first place. However there are also a number of people opposing the vehicles, claiming they are just “money spinners”.

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The van is alleged to have been spotted in North Yorkshire, however the force has denied it being one of its fleet.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“This isn’t our van, our vans don’t look like that.”

He added that it appeared to have no links to North Yorkshire Police and therefore was unable to comment further.

Police search for missing man last seen in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police today issued an appeal for information to find a man last seen in Harrogate.

A police statement today said Mark Griffiths has been missing since last week, and friends are concerned about his welfare. It added:

“Mark is described as white, 54 years old with no hair.

“He was last seen in Harrogate town centre wearing all black clothing on Wednesday 8 June.”

If you see him, or know where he is, you can contact the police by calling 101 and quoting reference number 12220100118.

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Police launch urgent appeal for missing Minskip man

North Yorkshire Police has launched an urgent appeal to locate a missing man from Minskip.

Luke Earnshaw, 31, was last seen on Saturday (June 11) when he left his home on Prospect Terrace in the village shortly before 2.30pm.

He was seen walking down Thorndikes Lane towards Staveley.

Officers are extremely concerned for his welfare.

Luke is of slim build with a bald head and bushy ginger beard. He has tattoos on his arms.

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He was captured on a doorbell camera (pictured above) when he left his home. He was wearing a blue jumper, brown jacket, dark blue jeans and a grey flat cap.

A police statement added:

“If you have any information which could help locate Luke please contact police on 101 or call 999 for an immediate sighting. Ref: 12220101715.”

Man arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure in Valley Gardens

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of indecent exposure in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens.

Officers were alerted to the incident, which happened in the gardens on Sunday (June 12).

A 67-year-old man from Bradford was arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

North Yorkshire Police added in a statement:

“Officers would like to thank the quick-thinking members of the public who alerted us to the man and helped detain him.

“He remains in police custody whilst enquiries continue.”

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Man jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women of life savings

A man has been jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women out of more than £450,000 and their entire life savings.

Police say the women were groomed over several months and have been left “absolutely devastated”.

They were called by a person claiming to be from the police, who said their accounts had been compromised.

He advised them to go to their bank and withdraw all their money in cash, which would then be picked up by a ‘police courier’ for safekeeping.

The two victims, whose names and precise locations are not known, were also told to purchase gold bullion with money from their bank accounts and then the gold was collected by the ‘couriers’ to be kept safe.

Ashley Thompson, 26, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for money laundering and fraud by false representation at the Inner London Crown Court yesterday.

Year-long police investigation

North Yorkshire Police received reports a year ago of victims being targeted by the crime, which is known as courier fraud scam.

Officers from the force’s economic crime unit worked with gold dealers to raise awareness of the crime and put other dealers on notice to watch out for suspicious gold sales.

On November 9, they were alerted to Thompson trying to sell one of the gold bullion bars in a London pawnbroker.

Working with City of London Police, two North Yorkshire Police officers travelled to London to arrest him and he was subsequently charged with fraud and money laundering offences.

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In interview, Thompson claimed he had hired a lock-up storage facility and that he had found the gold bar in a bag of tools but had no idea who owned it. He said he had waited to see if anyone claimed it but when no one did, he decided to try and pawn it for cash.

The investigating officers found that Thompson had created fake documents to prove the lock-up facility existed, when in reality it did not.

Victims ‘groomed’ over months

North Yorkshire Police Detective Constable Neil Brodhurst from the force’s economic crime unit, who led the investigation, said:

“Throughout the trial Thompson denied any knowledge of the gold bar’s origin, sticking to his story that he had simply found it in a bag of tools. He also couldn’t explain why he’d gone to the lengths of faking a hire contract for a non-existent lock-up facility to show the pawnbroker.

“The two victims of this courier fraud were absolutely devastated by it. They were groomed over a period of several months with their trust and good nature callously exploited to the extent that they lost their entire life savings to someone claiming to be a police officer.

“We unfortunately see courier fraud targeting North Yorkshire residents time and time again and I’d like to take this opportunity to issue another warning about it. The fraudsters use incredibly calculated and manipulative tactics to convince their victims that they are legitimate police officers or bank officials and will keep going until they get what they want.

“Remember, the police or your bank will never contact you and ask you to move or transfer money and will definitely never ask you to purchase high value items or to hand over your bank cards. Please be on your guard and share this warning with your friends, family and networks.”

DC Brodhurst added he hoped Thompson’s sentence “will serve as some closure for our victims”.

Thompson, of Margery Street, London, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation and was found guilty of money laundering.

He received a 15 month prison sentence for money laundering and a concurrent 6 month sentence for fraud by false representation.

Harrogate police officer pleads not guilty to sexual assault

A Harrogate police officer pleaded not guilty in court today after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman.

Joseph McCabe, 27, of Starbeck, is currently suspended from duty as a North Yorkshire Police officer based in Harrogate.

The officer appeared before York Magistrates Court this morning charged with sexual assault by touching. The case concerns an alleged incident at a North Yorkshire property last summer.

Prosecutor Charlotte Dangerfield said Mr McCabe, was allegedly “trying to stroke” the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

It was also alleged that he was pulling at her hair, added Ms Dangerfield. She alleged that Mr McCabe was trying to have sex with the woman who was unwilling.

The defendant’s solicitor, Mr Hague, claimed the incident was “not sexual in nature” and added:

“He [Mr McCabe] thought there was going to be sexual interaction (but) she rejected it and he respected that”.

The magistrate questioned Mr Hague about the relationship between the defendant and the woman. Mr Hague responded and said:

“It had been a friendship for sometime with regular friendly communication, just a typical workplace relationship.”

Mr McCabe is set to appear before York Magistrates Court again on October 11 and has been released on unconditional bail.

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