Two men who staged a fight in a layby for TikTok viewers have been spared prison despite one of them brandishing a machete in front of onlookers.
William Fuller-McMillan and Rivers Wilson, both 22 and from Ripon and Knaresborough respectively, were armed with weapons when they turned up for the pre-arranged fight near Ripon racecourse, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Lewis Kerr said it appeared the fight had been arranged between Wilson and another named man following an “issue” with a young woman.
The fight was set for a layby on Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, on December 17, 2021, when people turned up in several cars “armed with weapons” in the dark hours to witness the shocking scenes.
Mr Kerr said videos of the fight were circulated on the internet as it was happening, and witnesses called police.
Onlookers who witnessed the “prolonged” dust-up said it was initially a “fair fight, one-on-one”, between Wilson and his rival, with punches being thrown by each man.
But then Wilson “took the upper hand, kicking (the other man) several times” and there was kneeing during the fight, along with “grappling and grabbing”, causing injuries ostensibly to both men.
The court heard that at some points during the skirmishing, someone drove a dark Mercedes at people at the scene.
Mr Kerr said that by the time the fight ended, Wilson appeared to be holding a baseball bat, although he was never charged with this.
Fuller-McMillan then brandished a machete and threatened another man with the weapon.
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Mr Kerr said although the knife wasn’t actually used, there was the “potential for serious disorder”.
He said the entire incident was a “staged fight on TikTok”.
Wilson, of Princess Close, Ripon, was arrested and initially charged with affray. He denied the allegation and was due to face trial on Tuesday, January 3, but admitted an alternative charge under the Public Order Act before a jury was sworn in.
Fuller-McMillan, of Stockwell Drive, Knaresborough, admitted using a bladed article to threaten. The two men appeared for sentence on Wednesday.
Previous convictions
The court heard Fuller-McMillan had a previous conviction for threatening to damage property. He was convicted of that offence in June last year and received a community order.
Wilson had four previous convictions for 12 offences, the last of which in 2019 resulted in a 22-month jail sentence in February 2020.
Barrister Patrick Palmer, for Wilson, said his client earned good money in construction and had stayed out of trouble since the incident in Ripon.
Nicholas Hammond, for Fuller-McMillan, said his client had moved away from Ripon following the incident and had since set up home with his partner and worked full time as a joiner.
He said Fuller-McMillan was at the scene to support his friend Wilson and his actions were down to a “lack of maturity”.
Judge Simon Hickey described the staged fight in Ripon as a “disgraceful incident”.
He told the defendants:
“In the darkness, you all decided you were going to have a fight. You all attended in several motor cars armed with weapons.
“Any member of the public going past would have been very upset and perturbed by what then occurred.”
Fuller-McMillan was given a 22-month prison sentence, but this was suspended for 18 months because of his “impressive” character references and the fact that he had stayed out of trouble since the incident. As part of the order, he must complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
The judge told Wilson that although he had been involved in a “nasty piece of violence”, he was “impressed that you and your co-accused are both working and keeping out of trouble”.
Wilson was fined £500 for the public-order offence and ordered to pay a statutory surcharge. Both men were ordered to pay £185 prosecution costs.
Ripon man appears in court charged with attempted murder
A Ripon man appeared in court today charged with attempted murder.
Kyle Harpin, 33, of Priest Lane, was charged with attempting to murder Ben Mintcher on North Street on October 16 last year.
He pleaded not guilty at Leeds Crown Court, where the case was adjourned.
Harpin today pleaded guilty to six other charges, including possessing a knife on North Street in Ripon, two charges of threatening a person with a blade or sharply pointed article in public, two charges of assaulting a police constable at Harrogate District Hospital, and racially aggravated harassment of another police officer at Harrogate Police Station.
He will be sentenced for these crimes on February 21.
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Sewage discharged into River Ure near Ripon after pipe leaks
Sewage has been discharged into the River Ure following a leak near Ripon.
Yorkshire Water said an issue with a sewer pipe at its pumping station on Sharow Lane led to a “short term” discharge on Friday, December 30.
The company said the Environment Agency has been informed of the incident.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said the pipe has since been isolated and tankers are in place to prevent any further waste from entering the river.
Temporary traffic lights are also in place while workers repair the pipe.
Temporary lights on Sharow Lane as Yorkshire Water repairs sewage pipe.
A spokesperson added:
“Unfortunately we suffered an issue with a sewer pipe on Sharow Lane, Ripon, on 30 December, which caused a short term discharge of wastewater into the River Ure.
“Our teams attended quickly, isolated the main and began a tankering operation to prevent further wastewater entering the river and ensure customers could continue to use their services, as well as informing the Environment Agency of the incident.
“Due to the depth of the repair tankering has remained in place, with traffic management measures to allow this to be done safely. A team is now on site to complete the repair and return the network to normal operation. Once the repair is completed, tankering will be stopped.”
The Stray Ferret has approached the Environment Agency for comment.
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Firefighters rescue horse after collision in Killinghall
Firefighters came to the rescue when a horsebox left the road in Killinghall today.
Crews from Harrogate and Ripon were summoned to the village at 12.07pm after a 7.5 tonne horse box left the road following a single vehicle collision.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said:
“Crews stabilised the vehicle to allow the owner to remove the horse from the rear of the vehicle. Incident then left with police.
“Crews used a tirfor winch and stabfast stabilisation equipment.”
Five minutes after the Killinghall call, Harrogate firefighters attended flooding in the basement of a house in Beckwithshaw.
The incident log said:
“Crews pumped water from basement and gave advice to owner. A light portable pump and hard suction were used at this incident.”
The incidents were part of a busy day shift for the Harrogate crew, which at 8am dealt with a reports of a diesel leak on a road in North Rigton.
Firefighters carried out an investigation and requested a highways gully-sucker to unblock a surface water drain.
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Revealed: locations of 100 new electric charging bays in Harrogate district
One hundred new electric vehicle charging bays are due to be installed in the Harrogate district this year, bringing the total to 120.
The bays are expected to be available early this year but the dates for each locality have not yet been published.
Half of the district’s 120 bays will be in Harrogate, which will have 60. They include a dozen each at the Victoria multi-storey car park, the Odeon cinema and Hornbeam Park.
There will be 27 in Knaresborough, 19 in Ripon, six in Boroughbridge and four each in Pateley Bridge and Masham.
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said the bays would help achieve a net zero-carbon economy by 2038, adding:
“These new charging points support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy, and complement other sustainable travel options.”
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Chapel Street car park in Knaresborough
The decision to block off existing car park spaces for the new bays before they were in use caused controversy in Knaresborough last month when one business said it was damaging trade.
Hairdressers Kelly Teggin said she supported the introduction of electric charging bays but couldn’t understand why it had been done in the run-up to Christmas when the new bays weren’t even in use yet.
Harrogate
Victoria multi-storey car park – 12 Bays
Hornbeam Park – 12 Bays
Odeon – 12 Bays
West Park – 8 Bays
Park View – 6 Bays
Dragon Road – 10 Bays
Knaresborough
Conyngham Hall – 12 Bays
Chapel Street – 10 Bays
Leisure Centre (new) – 5 Bays
Ripon (new)
Cathedral Car Park – 6 Bays
Blossomgate Car Park – 4 Bays
Ripon (existing)
Leisure Centre – 5 Bays
Phoenix Business Park – 4 Bays
Boroughbridge (Phase 2)
Back Lane Car Park – Up to 6 bays
Pateley Bridge
Southlands Car Park – 4 Bays
Masham
Market Place – 4 Bays
Rare fold-out desk to be auctioned by Ripon firm
A rare Victorian walnut desk made in Yorkshire is being offered for sale by the Ripon auction house Elstob & Elstob.
The desk is essentially a self-contained office, with an array of drawers and pigeonholes, revealed when the piece unfolds on its hinges, and is based on a style made famous by the North American Wooton Desk Manufacturing Company (1874-1890) of Indiana.
Made by renowned Halifax cabinetmakers T Simpson & Son in 1870, the ‘Wooton’ desk carries a guide price of £1,000 to £1,500 and is part of Elstob & Elstob’s online Antiques Sale that runs until Sunday, January 8.
The brass maker’s label showing the desk to have been made by T Simpson & Son of Halifax.
Auctioneer David Elstob said:
“This is an absolutely stunning piece of furniture.
“The original American Wooton desks are known as the kings of elaborate folding desks and are much-prized amongst collectors, but this rare Yorkshire version of the design will be even more sought after.”
He added:
“Overall, it is an ingenious desk, with a metamorphic cabinet full of storage space. What’s more, it is tidy when unused, making it a perfect blend for today’s modern homes.”
Thomas Simpson & Sons was one of the largest and most prestigious furniture makers in the north of England, its origins dating back as far as 1798. In its Victorian heyday, the business had a grand showroom in Silver Street in Halifax, as well as a steam cabinet works in Corporation Street, which contained the steam-powered machinery used to manufacture its trademark pieces of furniture.
A T Simpson & Son invoice header from 1884, showing the company’s various premises.
This particular desk has a gilt-tooled leather-lined hinged and ratcheted top above a swing-out front that opens to reveal multiple drawers and pigeonholes. The writing surface, with leather skiver, can be lifted at the back and set at various fixed angles. On the top of the cabinet under the lid is the stamped metal maker’s plate ‘T Simpson and Son, Steam Cabinet Makers’.
Mr Elstob said:
“Inspection of known examples would suggest these desks were made to order with some bespoke elements – such as the choice of materials and the arrangement of internal compartments.”
Bidding is now open on the sale, which contains a large range of furniture, ceramics, glassware, wines and spirits, and Chinese works of art. All items in the sale can be viewed online at www.elstobandelstob.co.uk as well as in person at the saleroom on Friday, January 6 between 10am and 4pm.
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Firefighters tackle microwave fire and chimney fire in Harrogate district
Firefighters were called to separate incidents involving a microwave fire and a chimney fire in the Harrogate district this afternoon.
Crews from Boroughbridge and Ripon responded to reports of a kitchen fire at Southolme Walk in Boroughbridge at 1.48pm.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it turned out to be “a small fire confined within a microwave which was out upon our arrival”, adding:
“Crews assisted the occupant to ventilate the kitchen of light smoke logging.”
Shortly afterwards, at 2.53pm, Ripon firefighters were back on the road again to respond to reports o a chimney fire at Bouthwaite, near Pateley Bridge.
The incident log said:
“They extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet and chimney rods. The cause was an accumulation of soot. Advice was given to the occupier.”
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Stray Ferret Business Awards: Does your business deserve the Best Independent Retailer award?
The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.
Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.
Next up is the Best Independent Retailer Award, which is sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
This award recognises the work of independent retailers across the Harrogate district that have survived the pandemic and are now tackling a cost-of-living crisis.
These businesses are truly beating the odds to support customers and make the high street work for them.
Companies looking to enter for the Best Independent Retailer Award need to provide information on the challenges your business faced in 2022, what the business did to overcome those challenges and evidence the success the actions had on the sutainability of the business.
Does your business deserve to win the Best Independent Retailer Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!
Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.
NHS managers in North Yorkshire have objected to a proposed 1,300-home scheme on the Ripon barracks site due to funding concerns for local healthcare.
The scheme, which has been submitted by government housing agency Homes England, would see houses built on the site off Clotherholme Road.
The Clotherholme development would encompass Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks.
The proposal was submitted to Harrogate Borough Council in September 2020.
However, in a letter to the authority, NHS Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has objected to the plan.
Andrew Dangerfield, head of primary care transformation at the organisation, said the method used by Homes England to assess healthcare need as a result of the new homes was “at odds” with the NHS.
He added that the developer had offered “zero” section 106 contributions to help mitigate demand as a result of increased population due to the scheme.
Mr Dangerfield said:
“The ICB is concerned about Homes England’s overall approach to health, they have sought to provide zero S106 contributions towards the provision of healthcare infrastructure on a development of significant scale (circa 3,000 people), using a methodology which is at odds with the NHS commissioners and local healthcare partners.
“The ICB, who has direct expert knowledge of the local surgeries in the area and is responsible for the commissioning of healthcare services have consistently outlined that the existing practices do not have capacity to absorb the population created by the 1,300 homes coming forward as part of this application, and therefore have requested mitigation in the form of a S106 contribution.”
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Mr Dangerfield added that should no contributions towards healthcare be made, then the development “cannot be considered sustainable”.
In October 2020, NHS North Yorkshire CCG – which preceded the integrated care board – said in a letter to the borough council that it was seeking £553,128 from Homes England in contributions to health.
The Stray Ferret has asked Homes England to comment on the concerns, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The planned homes in Ripon will include a significant number of two- and three-bedroom mid-range houses and will include apartments in the centre.
It also includes a community centre, employment space, shops, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.
A decision on the scheme is expected to be made by Harrogate Borough Council at a later date.
Ripon set to welcome in the New Year with city eventRipon will welcome in 2023 in traditional style on Saturday evening, with residents and visitors invited to the city’s New Year’s Eve gathering on Market Square.
The celebrations begin at 9pm when a member of the hornblower team will signal the setting of the watch with blasts of their horn at the four corners of the obelisk.
The ceremonial event, dating back to 886 AD – the year in which when Alfred the Great became the first Anglo-Saxon King of England – will provide the prelude to a night of free entertainment.
The watch will be set by a member of the Ripon hornblower team prior to the start of the musical entertainment
Following the hornblower, three tribute acts will take centre stage for the final concert of the year organised by Ripon City Council.
The acts are Beyond Faith, performing the songs of George Michael and Wham, Xelle with the favourite numbers from the best-known girl bands and Parklife, singing Britpop hits of the 1990s.
Shortly before midnight a torchlit procession of civic dignitaries led by the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda, will make its way from Ripon Cathedral to Market Square, in time for the countdown that heralds in the New Year.
The procession will follow the Watchnight service at the cathedral which begins at 11.15.
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