The police made 20 arrests over a single weekend on roads around Harrogate, Knaresborough and Skipton as part of a campaign to tackle drink driving.

The highest reading of the weekend was 144ug/100ml – over four times the legal limit – by a women from the Knaresborough area driving in York.

Operation Attention follows a summertime peak in drink driving. The efforts by the police are to put on a “show of force” to deter drink or drug drivers and catch offenders.

A total of 23 arrests were made between August 14 to 17. Out of those arrests, 10 were found to be over the legal alcohol limit – 35ug per 100ml of breath.

Other offences included speeding, with one driver caught driving at 80mph within a 30mph zone.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton from the Road Policing Group said:

“The results send a clear message that if people choose to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and break the law, there are consequences to your actions and officers will catch you. We are here to protect the public’s safety on the roads of North Yorkshire and by catching these people. The local community can be confident that these drivers will pay the price by being given lengthy bans, significant fines and even prison sentences.”

Read more:

• One man has died and another is injured after a serious incident in Harrogate town centre on Sunday night. 
• A man from Boroughbridge has been jailed after taking indecent images of a three year-old girl. 

Last weekend’s operation involved specialist road policing officers, special constables and local policing teams and more than 50 drivers were stopped.

The operation has ran from July 13 to August 16, a total of 171 people have been arrested for drink and drug drive offences across North Yorkshire.

Three teenagers have been arrested after a car was stolen in Ripon, leading to a chase between the city and Boroughbridge.

Officers responded after a car was reported stolen from Wellington Gardens in the city on Saturday at around 3.10pm.

The dark blue Ford Focus was then seen being driven at speed in Boroughbridge, where it failed to stop for police, leading to a pursuit. With use of a stinger deployed on the B6265 Boroughbridge Road towards Ripon, police stopped the car at around 4.20pm.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“The three occupants of the car ran off on foot but were located by an officer and police dog a short time later. Two 15-year-old boys and one 16-year-old boy were arrested and have been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

“Police thank many members of the public who reported sightings of the vehicle, which ultimately led to the offenders being caught and arrested.”

Anyone who saw the vehicle between around 3.10pm and 4.20pm in the Ripon and Boroughbridge area is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, press 1 and pass information onto the Force Control Room, quoting reference number 12200141434.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses after three men were arrested for fighting in Harrogate town centre on Saturday evening.

The incident took place between Skipton Road and Regent Parade between 7.50pm and 8pm on Saturday, August 1.

All three men have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police are now trying to establish the full details of what happened, and are asking witnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

Read more:

• Two cars were stolen from Westbourne venue, Harrogate – this is the second time in six weeks the street has been targeted.
• A family has expressed their heartbreak after their dogs were poisoned on a walk in Pateley Bridge, one later passed away. 

To give information to the police, call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Corrina Graham-Merrett. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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North Yorkshire Police has reported it stopped two suspicious cars near Boroughbridge, one carried £10,000 in cash.

The first car was found on the A1(M) southbound at junction 48, near Boroughbridge, on Saturday evening. The officers found the cash inside the Mercedes C200 and chose to carry out a roadside drug test on the driver.

The officers arrested the 60 year old driver on suspicion of drug driving and money laundering.

A further car, seen near the Mercedes, was stopped by the police at junction 46. The 26 year old driver was also arrested on suspicion of drug driving and money laundering as well as possession of cannabis.

Both men were charged with failing to produce a specimen of blood for analysis and were released as investigations continue. The second driver also received a warning for possessing cannabis.

The cars were seized for further examination.