Travellers leave Harrogate’s Ashville College

Travellers left Harrogate’s Ashville College last night, three days after they arrived.

The fee-paying school postponed home sports fixtures when caravans pitched up on the sports field off Yew Tree Lane on Friday night.

North Yorkshire Police said last night all vehicles had vacated the field by 7.15pm.

A police spokesperson said:

“The Harrogate neighbourhood policing team has worked closely with the college and community partners to resolve this issue.

“Our officers are continuing to liaise with all parties and are carrying out patrols in the area to address safety and security concerns.”

Ashville College

An Ashville spokesman said it served notice on the travellers to leave the school grounds yesterday morning. He added:

“The police successfully handled the departure and we are delighted to confirm that they all have left the site.

“Crucially, the order served today prohibits a return to our site within the next twelve months.

“We have secured the entrance they forced themselves through on Friday night.

Ashville head Rhiannon Wilkinson said in a letter to parents:

“It has been a challenging three days and I am enormously grateful to my colleagues in boarding who have done an exceptional job looking after the boarders this weekend in what have been difficult circumstances.”

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Police patrols monitoring travellers at Harrogate’s Ashville School

Ashville College in Harrogate said today police were conducting regular patrols after travellers set up camp on the sports field.

An encampment arrived at the independent school on Friday night.

In an update today, a spokesman for the college said it had been working with North Yorkshire Police “and other authorities to expedite the removal of the travellers from our sports field”.

He added:

“As a precautionary measure, there is a fence running the width of the site to separate the school from the travellers.

“They have been instructed by the police, who are carrying out regular patrols, not to go near school buildings or any pupils.”

Home sports fixtures were postponed following the weekend arrival of travellers.

The spokesman said:

“Thanks to the hard work and vigilance of all our teaching and support staff, the school is fully operational today, although there have been some minor adjustments for our youngest pupils in Acorns pre-prep and reception.

“GCSE and A-level examinations are running as usual in the sports centre. Sports lessons, and after-school clubs and activities, are also uninterrupted.

“We are providing regular updates to families until the situation is resolved, and thank them for their continued support and understanding.”

Travellers previously pitched up on Ashville’s sports fields off Yew Tree Lane in August 2021 and demanded money to leave.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police what action it had taken but has not received a response.

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Bulgarian martial arts experts jailed for dealing cocaine in Harrogate

Two Bulgarian martial arts experts have been jailed for peddling cocaine in Harrogate after delving into the UK drug market within a week of arriving in the country.

Emilov Andonov, an expert in the Russian combat sport sambo, and his sidekick Stanislav Stefanov, a professional judo trainer, were stopped by police in the Asda car park where officers suspected a drug deal was taking place, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Rachael Landin said Stefanov, a part-time bouncer in his home country, had been driving an Audi, and Andonov was in a Toyota. Police suspected something was amiss when one of the men got into the other’s car.

Officers searched both vehicles and found 11 wraps of cocaine, worth £550, under the gear stick in the Audi.

They found a further 19 wraps of high-purity cocaine under the covering of the gear stick in the Toyota. Those drugs were worth £950.

They also seized three mobile phones which showed that text messages had been pinging back and forth between the two men in the four days preceding their arrest on January 28.

It appeared that Andonov and Stefanov, both national-level martial artists in their homeland, had been working under orders from people higher up the drug chain who provided them with “post codes and instructions” to deliver their illicit wares.

They were each charged with possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply but initially denied the offence, claiming they had “bought in bulk” for their own personal use.

However, they ultimately changed their pleas to guilty and appeared for sentence yesterday after being remanded in custody. They were assisted by a Bulgarian interpreter.

Just arrived in England

Defence barrister Matthew Harding, for Andonov, said both men, of no fixed address, had only been in the country for a week before they got involved in the drug trade.

He said they had been “sent up to the Yorkshire area” to deal cocaine by their drug overlords in London, adding:

“They are clearly delivering under (instruction).

“At times they don’t know where to go or what they are doing.”

He claimed when the two men arrived in the country on January 20, they had no intention of lurching into crime.

He said Andonov, 21, was a judo expert who studied sambo at the national academy in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. Mr Harding added:

“He and his co-accused have competed in (national) competitions,”

“He will inevitably receive a sentence that means his deportation from this country is automatic.”

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John Batchelor, for Stefanov, said his 21-year-old client was a professional judo trainer and part-time doorman who had studied at the same sports school as Andonov. The barrister added:

“He’s competed at national level and they’ve known each other from school.”

He said the two men arrived in London initially where they were “offered an opportunity” to deal drugs in Yorkshire.

He added Stefanov would go back to judo training and study upon his inevitable deportation to Bulgaria.

Judge Sean Morris told the defendants:

“Within days of arriving in this country you were breaking the law in the most serious way.

“You were being directed where to sell drugs and that meant you were putting the citizens of this country at risk for your own greed.

“I recommend, on the completion of your sentence, (that) you are immediately deported back to Bulgaria.”

Each man was jailed for two years and three months.

 

Police launch investigation after trespassers enter Harrogate Spring Water

Police have launched an investigation after trespassers broke into Harrogate Spring Water‘s headquarters last night.

A source told the Stray Ferret protesters attempted to enter the building on Harlow Moor Road and “antagonised staff”. They added those responsible wore GoPro cameras and flew a drone over the site.

However, nobody appears to have claimed responsibility for the incident and no footage has emerged.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said today:

“North Yorkshire Police were contacted yesterday evening to reports of people trespassing on a business premises on Harlow Moor Road in Harrogate.

“The incident had occurred prior to the report being made and an investigation is now underway.

“Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police by calling 101, select option 1 and ask for the Force Control Room. Please quote reference number 12230099981 when passing information.”

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A spokesperson for Harrogate Spring Water said:

“We cannot comment at this time since the incident is currently being looked into by police.

“We can confirm that no-one was injured during the incident and no damage has been made to the site.”

Harrogate Spring Water said in March it was “reviewing plans” to expand its bottling plant at its headquarters off Harlow Moor Road, in the Pinewoods.

The plans, which would involve felling trees in a public woodland planted by schoolchildren, have proved controversial.

It is not known whether yesterday’s incident was related to this.

 

Public asked to “think” before dialling 999 after increased demand

North Yorkshire Police have asked people to “stop and think” before dialling 999 for non-emergencies after a significant increase in demand over the past two days.

The force said a combination of good weather, the start of half term and an influx in visitors to the county have resulted in a rise in calls to its control room.

The advice is to call 999 for an emergency and for non-emergency matters contact the police  through its website or call 101.

If someone accidentally dials 999, the advice is to stay on the line. In a “pocket dial” situation the force said its 999 operator will pass the call to the control room.  The call handlers will then ring the number back to establish whether it is a genuine emergency.

Superintendent Fiona Willey,  head of customer contact said:

“The staff in our Force Control Room are working extremely hard to deal with the increased demand.

“The sunny weather will inevitably lead to more calls so we’re urging the public to consider if their call is necessary and if it’s a non-urgent matter, could it wait until after the weekend.

“It’s also important that members of the public consider which service they need. There are many agencies out there that can offer help and support.

“If it is a genuine emergency then we are here to help. Our staff are trained to triage every call through a threat, risk and harm assessment which leads to that call being prioritised accordingly.”

Further details on how to contact us can be found here. 

Man wanted in police car tampering investigation in Pateley Bridge

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to following “vehicle interference” in Pateley Bridge.

In a statement issued today, North Yorkshire Police said the incident “involved someone removing items from a car who then went on to try and gain access to another car, which proved to be unsuccessful”.

It happened on Old Brewery Road on an unspecified date “earlier this year”.

The statement said:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the person in the image as they believe they will have information that could help the investigation.

“Anyone with any information is asked to email laura.taylor@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Laura Taylor.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Quote reference number 12230013852.

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Emergency services attend crash on Leeds Road in Harrogate

Police and firefighters are at the scene of a traffic accident on Leeds Road in Harrogate after a car crashed into railings.

The incident happened at about 10am at the roundabout where Leeds Road meets St George’s Road.

Debris from the vehicle was scattered on the road.

An eyewitness told the Stray Ferret there were two police officers and two fire crews attending at 10.30am today.

They added it did not appear anyone had been seriously injured.

We will update this story when more information is available.

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Body recovered from River Nidd at Bilton

Police have recovered the body of a local woman from the River Nidd, near Bilton viaduct.

Concerns were raised about the woman, who is aged in her 40s, this morning.

An urgent missing person investigation was launched which included searches in and around the River Nidd at the location.

The woman’s body was recovered by the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Marine and Underwater Search Unit at around 1.20pm. She has not been named.

The bridge was closed while the body was recovered. A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the coroner in due course.

“The woman’s family are being supported by the police.”

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Delay in police plan to move into Ripon Town Hall

North Yorkshire Police’s planned move into Ripon Town Hall has been delayed with no date in place for when it might happen.

In February, the office for Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), said refurbishment of space in the town hall was already under way to give officers more of a presence in the city centre.

However, this was questioned by Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams who told the Local Democracy Reporting Service in April that work was yet to begin.

The works will cost North Yorkshire Police £91,000 and will see a public consultation room, an office and a break out room added for officers to use.

A spokesman for the PFCC confirmed that work at the town hall had not started and blamed the changes in local government for the delay.

Harrogate Borough Council owned the building until April 1 when it was handed to the new unitary authority North Yorkshire Council. The spokesman said:

“I can confirm that there has been a slight delay in the schedule for the local policing team moving into Ripon Town Hall.

“This has been due to the change in local government structure where the local agreement to occupy space in Ripon Town Hall made with Harrogate Borough Council, now needs to be signed off by the new North Yorkshire Council.”

North Yorkshire Council was also unable to say when works will begin. The council’s corporate director of resources, Gary Fielding, said:

“We are continuing to work with North Yorkshire Police and Ripon City Council regarding the future of Ripon Town Hall over how to best serve the needs of local residents.”

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Police launch investigation after cat shot dead in Harrogate

Police in Harrogate are appealing for witnesses and information after a cat was shot dead.

North Yorkshire Police said today the shooting happened in the Newby Crescent area of Jennyfields at around 9.05pm on Friday last week.

The force said in a statement:

“Timmy the cat was found dead by a neighbour. It is believed he had been shot with an air rifle or pellet gun.

“Understandably, Timmy’s family have been left deeply distressed following the incident.

“We’re appealing for information about anyone living locally who owns an air rifle or pellet gun, or anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the incident.”

To help the investigation, email Jacob.higgins@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2, and ask for Jacob Higgins.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230080606 when providing details.

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