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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Car window smashed in Knaresborough by slingshot

A car window was smashed in Knaresborough last night by a person believed to be using a slingshot or catapult.

Police sent armed officers and a helicopter after receiving reports that a window had been smashed in a car driving along Chain Lane at about 7.25pm.

A North Yorkshire Police statement this morning said:

“Due to the serious nature of the report, specialist firearms officers and the police helicopter were deployed immediately.

“After reviewing dashcam footage, it is a believed a slingshot or catapult-type weapon was used to damage the car window. No one was injured.”

“Enquiries are ongoing to identify any suspects.”

The statement does not say whether anyone was injured in the attack.

Police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident to call them on 101, quoting reference 12220098605.

Brawl breaks out on Harrogate’s Skipton Road

A mass brawl broke out in Harrogate last night and spilled on to the main Skipton Road.

A large group of men started fighting outside Bilton Working Men’s Club at about  7pm.

At one point the skirmishes extended on to Skipton Road, which affected traffic.

Police turned up shortly afterwards.

Club treasurer Alan Huddart said the incident wasn’t anything to do with the club, adding:

“We had a funeral booking and I believe it related to that but nothing took place inside the club.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“We were called to the incident last night just after 7pm following reports of a group of men causing a disturbance in the street.

“On arrival the group had dispersed, no allegations were made and no arrests have been made.”

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Harrogate police officer charged with sexual assault

A Harrogate police officer is to appear in court this week charged with sexual assault.

Joseph McCabe, of Kingsley Park Road, Starbeck, will appear at York Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He is accused of touching without consent at Scotch Corner Services, near Richmond, in August last year.

The 27-year-old officer is a serving North Yorkshire Police officer based at Harrogate police station.

He is currently suspended from duty.

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Police find missing Ripon man

Police have found a missing man from Ripon after appealing for information from the public to find him.

The man disappeared after being seen in Sainsbury’s in the city at around 2.30pm yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement saying officers had “concerns for his welfare and are trying to locate him”.

It appealed for information about his whereabouts but later said the man had been found safe.

We have subsequently updated this article by removing the man’s personal details.

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Boy, 8, rescued at Brimham Rocks

An eight-year-old boy has become the latest person to require rescuing at Brimham Rocks.

Seven members of Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association were called to the National Trust-owned site near Pateley Bridge when the boy got stuck at the top of a rock outcrop.

The association’s website says:

“He had managed to jump the gap to get onto the rock before realising that the jump back would be much harder.”

North Yorkshire Police summoned the rescuers at 11.30am on Monday and they managed to assist the boy to safety.

The volunteer-run association has attended several incidents at Brimham Rocks already this year.

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