Harrogate council charge police over £110,000 for CCTV since 2016

Harrogate Borough Council has charged North Yorkshire Police over £110,000 to check and supply its CCTV footage since 2016, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

The council has a network of 212 CCTV cameras across the district to help prevent and detect crime. It has a manned control room that operates 24/7.

But it does not supply footage to the police for free and last month the Stray Ferret reported it asks the force to pay a fee of £57 per hour for the service.

We submitted a freedom of information request to the council that asked how much it has charged North Yorkshire Police in total since 2016.

The answer revealed a total bill of £114,005, which amounts to about £20,000 a year on average. The sum fell noticeably during covid lockdowns in 2021/22.

The annual breakdown is below:

Crime prevention

Ripon has been plagued by well-documented anti-social behaviour and crime in recent years.

The council operates 10 CCTV cameras in the city but Andrew Williams, the leader of Ripon City Council and the North Yorkshire county councillor for Ripon Minster and Moorside, said the charge deters police from following up crime reports.

He said:

“It is ironic that Harrogate Borough Council’s homes and safer communities team appears more interested in making commercial charges to the police, rather than working in partnership with them to help in the detection and arrest of criminals.”

Andrew Williams

Cllr Andrew Williams

Cllr Williams calculated that the £18,354 charge for the last financial year worked out at less than one hour of CCTV footage a day.

He suggested this means NYP is being selective in which footage it requests and could be missing out on catching criminals.

He added:

“When considering the size of the Harrogate district and the number of CCTV cameras installed across it, that indicates that police, with pressure on their budgets, are having to be selective in their purchasing of footage and only calling on the services of the HBC CCTV monitoring team for the most serious incidents that they are investigating.”

“At a public meeting in Ripon last month, police admitted that nobody had been arrested for the vandal attacks, in part because they could not pinpoint the exact time of each incident and would have to go through hours of footage, which would not necessarily provide the quality of footage required to identify an individual or individuals.”

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‘Shameful’ charges

Business owner Andrew Hart, who owns the Red Box post offices in Bilton and Starbeck, has previously raised concerns about anti-social behaviour in both areas.

Mr Hart has two private CCTV cameras in his post offices. He said he supplies any footage to the police for free if they ask for it and called the council’s decision to charge “shameful”.

The council currently operates one CCTV camera in Starbeck.

Andrew Hart

He said:

“We are often needing to refer back to our two CCTV systems on both police and private request. It is something we do out of a sense of duty to both the community and in our joint responsibility to fight anti-social behaviour.

“Yes, it takes time and costs us money but we all have to do our bit, surely. I think it is shameful that any council should charge our grossly overstretched police for this service.”

Council’s response

A council spokesperson said:

“CCTV across the Harrogate district, which is owned and managed by Harrogate Borough Council, has ongoing infrastructure and running costs.

“As well as the costs to maintain the service, there are also costs associated with a CCTV control room, staffing and the on-going safe storage of footage.

“Should anyone wish to obtain a copy of any footage, this would require an appropriate individual reviewing it first, followed by providing the footage securely along with a witness statement. All while adhering to the Data Protection Act 1998.

“Therefore, any third-party that wishes to view and use any CCTV footage – such as an insurance company, enforcement agency or the police – is charged to do so.”

North Yorkshire Police declined to comment.

No update from police following blade incident in Beckwithshaw

A man and young boy were left with serious injuries following an incident with a “bladed article” on Monday in Beckwithshaw but the police are yet to give any further updates.

North Yorkshire Police was called to a house on Church Row at 8.20am on Monday morning. It later said an 11-year-old and a 40-year-old man had been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Later in the day, police confirmed the 11-year-old had undergone emergency surgery and was now in a “stable condition in hospital”.

The 40-year-old man, however, was still in a serious condition and remained under police guard. The police added two children aged 10 and 13 had escaped the house and were now under the care of relatives and specialist officers.

Since this update at 3.15pm on Monda,y the police have given no more information.

The Stray Ferret asked today about both the man and child’s current condition, whether anyone has been charged and if the man was still under guard. The police said:

“No update at the moment – enquiries ongoing.”

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On the day, the Stray Ferret received reports of numerous emergency services vehicles and an air ambulance attending the scene.

Police appeal after motorcyclist seriously injured near Harrogate

Police today issued an appeal for witnesses following a crash near Harrogate in which a man suffered serious injuries.

The collision, on the A59 near Kettlesing, involved a white Transit van and a motorcycle.

Both were travelling in the direction of Harrogate.

The incident happened at about 2.30pm on Friday and led to the road being closed for several hours.

The motorcyclist sustained life-threatening injuries.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for any witnesses to the collision, or anyone with relevant dashcam footage.

If you wish to do so you can call 101 and speak to the force control room, quoting reference number NYP-17062022-253.

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Motorcyclist seriously injured in Harrogate district crash

A motorcyclist is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash in the Harrogate district last night.

The collision, which occurred at the junction of the A61 Harrogate Road and Weeton Lane, involved a black Range Rover and a Yamaha motorcycle.

It occurred at about 7.30pm.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about the incident.

In a statement this morning it said:

“Unfortunately, the rider of the motorcycle suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and was transferred to hospital where they remain in a stable condition.

“A stretch of Harrogate Road was closed for around two hours in both directions to allow for an initial investigation and vehicle recovery.”

Anyone with information or dashcam footage of the collision or the events leading up to the collision can email adam.smith@northyorkshire.police.uk, or contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Adam Smith.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220103906.

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Police seek to identify man after homophobic chanting in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police want to speak to a man in relation to alleged homophobic chanting in Harrogate.

Police today issued a CCTV image of the man they want to talk to.

A statement said officers were investigating a possible hate crime. It added:

“The incident happened on King’s Road in Harrogate near Bambino’s takeaway around 11.45pm on 28 May 2022.

“A group of men were reported to be singing a homophobic chant.”

The statement urged anyone with information to email geeta.maharjan@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2 and ask for 0740.

Or, if you’d prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 1222009231.

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Armed police respond to ‘serious disturbance’ in Harrogate

Armed police were called to a “serious disturbance” on Skipton Road in Harrogate today.

There was a heavy police presence for over an hour when the incident happened near the junction with Westmoreland Street.

A North Yorkshire Police statement at 12.25pm said:

“We’ve just been dealing with a serious disturbance in Harrogate.

“You may still see police in the area around Skipton Road but a man has been arrested.

“The man in his 20s is on his way to custody, suspected of an affray which involved threats to another man. We’ve launched an investigation.

“Anyone who saw anything should call us on 101, select option 1 and speak to our Force Control Room. Please quote reference NYP150622-0139.”

Several witnesses, who asked not to be named, spoke to the Stray Ferret about the incident, which appeared to last for about an hour before two armed officers escorted a man in handcuffs into the back of a police van.

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A witness said the activity appeared to centre on a flat on Westmoreland Street, which can be accessed via a ginnel off Regent Parade, where most police vehicles were parked.

Several business owners told the Stray Ferret they heard a commotion for over an hour late morning.

 

 

Officer who downloaded indecent images ‘betrayed the trust of North Yorkshire Police’

A senior North Yorkshire Police officer has said former officer Christopher Groom ‘betrayed public trust and betrayed North Yorkshire Police’ after he was given a community order for downloading indecent images of children.

Leeds Magistrates Court heard yesterday how Groom, 41, searched the internet for images of youngsters using search terms such as ‘naked young teens’ and ‘youngest naked models’.

Analysis of Groom’s computer tower revealed that he had downloaded 8,707 Category C images of children over what is thought to be a seven-year period.

District Judge Richard Kitson told Groom, of Main Street, Claxton, he would not be sending him to jail because the probation service said he was at low risk of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

Mabs Hussain

Mabs Hussain

Following the end of the court case, North Yorkshire Police deputy chief constable Mabs Hussain said the force “demands the highest level of integrity from our officers and staff.”

He added:

“This is essential to ensure the communities we are proud to serve have complete trust in their police service.

“The abhorrent and criminal actions of Groom have betrayed that public trust and he has betrayed North Yorkshire Police.”

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Groom resigned from North Yorkshire Police ahead of his first court appearance on May 18.

An accelerated misconduct hearing will now be considered by the Chief Constable and the professional standards department.

Groom was investigated by NYP’s online abuse and exploitation team.

Detective Sergeant Steve Alderson said:

“The fact that Groom was a serving North Yorkshire Police officer made no difference to how we conducted the investigation.

“He was treated the same as any other member of the public who become subject to a criminal inquiry and court proceedings.

“This case shows the determination of North Yorkshire Police to secure justice against those involved in indecent images of children offences, no matter who they are.”

Man, 67, pleads not guilty to sexual act in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

A 67-year-old man pleaded not guilty in court today to performing a sexual act in Valley Gardens.

Kevin Payne, from Ling Park Avenue, Bingley, was charged with outraging public decency and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

A member of the public reported seeing a man carrying out a sexual act on Sunday afternoon at the popular family venue.

North Yorkshire Police subsequently arrested Mr Payne and charged him with the two offences.

Appearing at York Magistrates Court this morning, he pleaded not guilty to both charges and was sent for trial at York Crown Court on July 11.

He will remain in custody until the hearing.

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Police investigating brawl in quiet Pateley Bridge street

North Yorkshire Police is investigating a brawl involving a large group of men and women on a quiet Pateley Bridge street this week.

The incident took place just before midnight on Monday when the group, who officers described as young adults, were seen fighting and swearing on Bishop Way.

A police spokesperson said the incident was “very unusual” for Pateley Bridge and “completely unacceptable”.

If you have any information, photos or video footage, you can contact bill.hickson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting 12220097471.

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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.