Harrogate News – October News Round-Up

Mindless Vandals Condemned By Council Leader

Repeated occurrences of vandalism in the The Stray area near Skipton Road have been condemned by council leader Richard Cooper as ‘mindless’. Several trees were snapped off at the base causing up to £1500 of damage, just weeks after they were re-planted when an identical incident occurred. A park bench has also been destroyed in the Montpellier Hill area, with Councillor Cooper reminding residents that costs will have to be met by the tax payer.

Harrogate Adopts Disabled Passenger Taxi Measures

Harrogate will become an easier place for disabled people to catch taxis after council leaders adopted a raft of Government measures to assist them in catching taxis. Taxi drivers are now obligated to offer as much mobility assistance as required, to help wheelchair users get in and out of taxis and to help load baggage onto vehicles.

Harrogate Man Beats Up 53-Year-Old Naked Woman In Her Own Bedroom

26-year-old Shaun Clarke has been jailed for six years after being found guilty of assault and robbery of a 53-year-old woman in Harrogate. The victim was sleeping in bed when Clarke broke in and physically assaulted the woman, who was a live-in carer for an elderly man who slept through the entire ordeal. Clarke escaped with a small amount of cash, a mobile phone and some jewellery, but was captured a few hours later.

Council Urged To Demolish School Eyesore

North Yorkshire County Council have been urged to demolish a dis-used building at Harrogate High School, which has been condemned as unsafe and a risk to safeguarding in the community. The building is a dis-used office vacated in 2010, and with another new building replacing it has fallen into disrepair. The school can no longer control access and is urging the council to demolish it, claiming that planning permission has been granted for the demolition, but contractors not yet appointed.

Police Appeal After Mass Brawl In Town Centre Bar

A man was seriously injured and treated for his injuries in hospital after a fight involving “a number of men” aged 20 to 25 in The Pit bar in Harrogate. Police arrested five men subsequently, who were questioned but later released, and police are now appealing to the public for witnesses who may be able to help further.

Harrogate College Condemned In Discrimination Row

Henshaws College in Harrogate is at the centre of a row after a mother claims her daughter was discriminated against in being excluded from entry to the school. Ruby Merritt, aged 20, has learning difficulties and is described as having “most complex needs”. She was excluded from joining the specialist college due to staff shortages, but her mother claims this was because her daughter’s needs were more severe than other’s.

Three Men Jailed Over Drug-Dealing Night Of Violence

A trio of non-Harrogate residents have each been jailed for over 14 years, after being found guilty of dealing crack cocaine during a visit to the town. They were also involved in a night of violence that included a stabbing and attacking someone with a noxious substance. The three men hailed from Leicester and London and were believed to be engaging in ‘county lines’ drug dealing, where dealers attempt to expand into wider regional markets.

Scathing Budget Cuts For Special School

An 800-name petition has been set up to force North Yorkshire County Council to reconsider budget plans which would cut a special school’s budget by 83%. The Grove Academy helps students who have been excluded from or cannot be taught in mainstream education. North Yorkshire County Council are attempting to claw back a £5.5million overspend due to Government under-funding.

Serial Offender Jailed After McDonalds Meat Cleaver Incident

A 23-year-old Ripon man was jailed for 10 months after police were alerted to him entering McDonalds in Harrogate carrying a meat cleaver. Peter Stacey resisted arrest, but was also charged with various shoplifting offences from two weeks earlier, and already had a criminal record with 29 offences, including Class A drug possession, robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.

New-Build Housing Development Nears Completion

A 125-home property development in Harlow Hill Grange in Harrogate will be completed in November and occupied by Christmas, according to developer Charles Church. The development includes a range of one, two, three, four and five bedroom houses and will appeal to a wide variety of people, as Harrogate aims to maintain its thriving property market.