Police appeal after man left with broken nose during assault in Ripon

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a man suffered a fractured nose during an assault in Ripon last month.

Between 10pm and 10.30pm on December 23, the man was walking along Priest Lane.

He was approached by individuals, who assaulted him and made off in an unknown direction, leaving the victim with a broken nose and in need of hospital treatment.

Police are appealing for the public’s help to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officers are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was in the Priest Lane area of Ripon at the time of the incident or who may have dashcam footage or CCTV.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for PC Lucy Mills or email lucy.mills@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and quote reference number 12200244105.

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Man avoids jail for threatening ex-girlfriend and breaking policeman’s nose

A man who broke a policeman’s nose and cheekbone in a “disgraceful” attack at his home in Harrogate has narrowly avoided jail.

Joel Adam Rushton, 37, was resisting arrest when he struck one of the officers repeatedly, York Crown Court heard.

The officer received specialist hospital treatment for facial fractures and made a full physical recovery, but still suffered from the physical and mental effects of the incident on January 3, said prosecutor James Howard.

The policeman, who was named in court, had gone to Rushton’s address to arrest him for his behaviour towards his ex-partner, added Mr Howard. Six months after they broke up, she received a barrage of threatening phone calls from Rushton, who told her:

“I’m going to smash your head in; I’m going to kill you. I’m going to find you. I’m going to your mum’s to put my foot through the door. I want you dead.”

She hung up but he called back repeatedly, whereupon she called the police. Mr Howard added:

“She received a call from her mother who said that (Rushton) had been to (her) property and had been kicking the door and asking where (the victim) was.”

Turned violent

The victim – whose fraught relationship with Rushton ended in June last year – was so frightened of what he might do to her that she sought refuge at Harrogate Police Station.

When police turned up at Rushton’s home, he refused to be put in handcuffs and turned so violent that officers had to use pepper spray in an attempt to subdue him, amid screams from Rushton’s “highly agitated” new girlfriend, who was also sprayed accidentally.

Rushton “made a beeline” for one of the officers, whom he punched repeatedly in the face. The scuffle spilled out onto the street where Rushton grabbed one of the officer’s batons.

The injured officer had an X-ray six days later which showed he had fractures to his nose and cheekbone. He also suffered nasal bleeding.

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Rushton, of Grove Park Lane, Harrogate, appeared for sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to assaulting the officer occasioning actual bodily harm and making threatening phone calls to his ex-partner – an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.

In a victim impact statement, Rushton’s ex-girlfriend said she had been left feeling “anxious and distressed” which had resulted in her leaving the job she loved.

The officer who was seriously injured at Rushton’s home said he had suffered from depression, sleep problems and physical pain since the attack in January. He was put on restricted duties for weeks following the attack and was afraid to leave his house. Mr Howard said:

“He says the entire ordeal has left him (and his family) distressed and upset.”

Previous convictions

The court heard that Rushton, a father of four, had two previous convictions for three offences including public disorder.

Defence barrister Keith Allen said that Rushton, who worked as a fireplace installer, “lost emotional control” on the day in question while in a “primal state” born of “extreme anger”. He had behaved “completely out of character” when the officers came to arrest him and had since received cognitive therapy from a mental health nurse.

Recorder Margia Mostafa branded Rushton’s behaviour towards his ex-partner “disgraceful”, particularly his threats to kill her. She added:

“She must have believed what you were saying because she had to go to Harrogate Police Station as a place of safety.”

She noted, however, the “glowing” character references including one from Rushton’s employer, which “could not be further from the man that assaulted police and behaved in a dreadful fashion towards his former partner”, and others which described him as a “completely different man: a dedicated, loving father”.

Rushton’s 22-month jail sentence was suspended for two years but Ms Mostafa said he had “come close” to going straight to prison “because assaults against police officers are not acceptable”.

Rushton was also given a 12-month restraining order banning him from contacting or approaching his ex-partner. He was also placed on a nine-month, nightly curfew and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work.

In addition, Rushton was ordered to complete a 25-day rehabilitation programme and pay £1,500 compensation to the injured police officer.

Man suffers bleed on brain after Ripon assault

Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault in Ripon which left a man with a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and loss of hearing.

The 21-year-old victim was attacked outside Gianni’s Pizzeria in Westgate between 1am and 1.25am on Saturday, July 11.

Police are keen to speak to a group of three men and a woman who, after the assault, were seen getting into a dark-coloured hatchback car. One of the men is believed to have been wearing a grey Armani jumper.

Anyone with information about the group, or the assault, should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Lynn Maguire, or email lynn.maguire@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively, to report information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200117545.

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Boys assaulted by group of teens on Bilton viaduct

Two boys have been assaulted on the Bilton to Ripley cycle path after a confrontation with a group of teenagers.

The victims and a friend were chased onto the Bilton viaduct on Tuesday, between 6.15pm and 6.30pm, by a group of between five and seven people.

One of the group approached the first victim and punched him in the face a number of times. The boy suffered facial injuries which required hospital treatment.

The second victim tried to help his friend and was punched in the back of the head by another member of the group.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“This incident took place on a busy public footpath, in broad daylight, where members of the public are exercising. We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Police are trying to trace two suspects. Both are described as white teenage boys, aged between 16 and 18. One was between 5ft 9ins and 6ft tall and well-built, with medium length brown hair. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and grey shorts and was on a bicycle, carrying a dark blue backpack.

The second suspect had a thin build and was more than 6ft 2ins tall. He is also believed to have been on a bike and was wearing a black t-shirt with grey jogging bottoms. Both of the suspects were part of a group of up to seven people.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Ryan Rudd. Alternatively, email ryan.rudd@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200093071.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.