Harrogate district remains the county’s cannabis farm hotspot

The Harrogate district is still the place in North Yorkshire with the highest number of cannabis farms, data from North Yorkshire Police has revealed.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that between 2016 and 2021, nine major farms with more than 25 plants were discovered in the Harrogate district.

That was almost double the amount found in the Selby district, which was the next highest with five.

This marked a continuation of a trend highlighted two years when an FOI request from the Stray Ferret found that the Harrogate district also had the highest number of cannabis farms then.

Between 2017 and 2020, officers made 22 arrests of people involved with cannabis farms in North Yorkshire.

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Countywide issue

In total over the five-year period between 2016 and 2021, Police recorded 25 crimes relating to cannabis farms across North Yorkshire.

Only two crimes were recorded in 2016/17 and there were three each in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

However, there were nine in 2017/18 and eight in 2020/21.

On average, 323 plants were seized from farms. The largest number recorded was 2,797.

Since the available data ended in 2021, North Yorkshire Police has continued to deal with the issue of large-scale cannabis production in the Harrogate area.

Earlier this year, seven people were jailed for a combined 22 years after Police discovered £450,000-worth of cannabis spread across farms at three properties.

In February, two men were stopped on the A1(M) with 14 kilos of cannabis in their car. They were jailed for two years.

North Yorkshire Police was approached for comment about the latest statistics and why the Harrogate district is so popular with cannabis growers but did not respond.

Police use drone in search for missing Harrogate woman Judith

Police used a drone today in the search for missing Harrogate woman Judith Holliday.

The drone was flown in large open areas around North Rigton and Lindley Wood Reservoir as the search entered its 10th day.

Judith, 73, left her care home on Harcourt Road in Harrogate at 10.32am on Saturday, August 27. She was then captured on CCTV at Harrogate bus station and later in Library Gardens at 10.43am.

It’s believed she then caught a bus out of Harrogate and then flagged down a member of the public and asked for a lift to North Rigton, where the last confirmed sighting took place.

North Yorkshire Police is now asking anyone who was in North Rigton between 1.30pm and 3pm on August 27 to check any dashcam or camera footage to see if it captured Judith.

Search for Judith Holliday

Police searching for Judith Holliday at Almscliffe Crag.

She was last seen wearing a distinctive blue jacket and is described as being of thin build, approximately 5ft in height, and having medium length grey hair.

North Yorkshire Police critical incident inspector Phoebe Southall said:

“Please continue to support our search by checking dashcam and video footage and remaining vigilant.

“Please also check any outbuildings or sheltered areas.

“Any immediate sightings of Judith should be reported to 999.

“If you have any dashcam or video footage of Judith or information that could assist the investigation then please call us on 101. “

Quote reference number 12220153505 when providing information.

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Lucinda Edwards, Judith’s niece, thanked people for their support:

“We’re so grateful for the level of support our community has shown in our mission to locate Judith.

“Judith and anyone living with an illness like hers deserves to have this level of support and awareness to keep them safe.”

Judith has dementia and requires medication, however she often presents fit and well.

 

Police warning after spate of burglaries in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police has warned homeowners to lock their windows at night after four burglaries in four days were reported on the east side of Harrogate.

The first burglary took place in the early hours of Thursday morning when a handbag was stolen from a property in Queen Parade.

On Thursday night, three bags were stolen from a property on Pearl Street.

Police said on Friday morning between 5am and 11am, two homes on Woodlands Grove were also targeted when thieves stole a wallet, a tobacco grinder and some cash.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“In all incidents access has been gained through insecure windows and doors. Opportunistic thieves have gained access to properties and stolen valuable items.

“Our neighbourhood teams are patrolling in the area to deter thieves, but there are some simple steps homeowners can take to protect their property.

“Please ensure you don’t leave valuable items on display near windows and doors and if you are not in the room, or before you head to bed, run a quick check that all windows and doors are closed and locked. Similarly with your garden, any valuable toys, bikes or tools are best kept in a locked shed if possible and consider fitting a house alarm, external lights or a video doorbell or CCTV camera to deter thieves.

“Anyone who was in the area of the properties which were targeted, at the time and dates mentioned, who saw anything or has information which would assist the investigations is asked to call 101, select option 1 and pass the information to our Force Control Room.”

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North Yorkshire Police pledges ‘swift and decisive’ action after officer assault

North Yorkshire Police has pledged to take “swift and decisive action” against anyone who assaults an officer after shocking pictures emerged.

A police officer suffered head injuries when he was called to reports of a disturbance in York on Sunday night.

A 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and possessing a Class B drug.

Police said in a statement that a full investigation is underway, and the teenager remained in custody.

Chris Brumfitt, Chief Inspector of York and Selby, said:

“An attack on a police officer or an emergency worker is an attack on our family, and we take this extremely seriously.

“Officers and emergency service workers are trying to protect the public and do not come to work to be assaulted.

“Anyone who assaults an officer in York or North Yorkshire should expect swift and decisive action.”

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North Yorkshire Police progress on stalking ‘positive’ but needs more detectives

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.

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

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.

Harrogate woman missing for six days as police remain ‘extremely concerned’

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.

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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.

Man jailed for carrying hammer in Harrogate town centre

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.

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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.

North Yorkshire Police 999 response times ‘unacceptable’, says superintendent

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.

Man arrested in Harrogate on suspicion of carrying weapon

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.”

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Police growing ‘increasingly concerned’ for missing Harrogate woman

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

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