Spotlight

Police 7: Community Policing Feb. ’23

Appeals March 16, 2023 Appeals, North Yorkshire Police

Police 7: Community Policing Feb. ’23

The NYE’s Police 7 articles are intended to be a one-stop shop for our readers covering crime prevention advice, court reports, Police appeals for assistance, local community policing news, information on victim support, updates from the North Yorkshire Police (NYP), the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for North Yorkshire, and the Coroner.

Police 7 has been one of our more popular features with readers, who appreciate getting regular updates from the Police via the NYE.

We lead these articles with a photograph of the late Shaw Taylor, as a tribute to him. Shaw was a ground-breaking forensic journalist, who pioneered Police media appeals for information in the programme Police 5. His work led to the successful conclusion of many casses in the UK, Europe and the United States through local programmes that followed the pioneering format of his original programme in 1962.

The NYE will continue to immediately publish urgent appeals for information from North Yorkshire Police (NYP), in missing person’s cases etc.

NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING

The following witness appeals and court reports may be of particular relevance to our readers and can be accessed from the NYP website. Address below.

https://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/news/news-search

Witness Appeals

Scarborough Wounding

Two men, aged 31 and 28, were arrested in Scarborough on Thursday 9^th March following a disturbance inside a property in Esplanade Gardens that spilled out onto the street.

Just before 11:00am, NYP received a number of calls from members of the public reporting a man walking along the street without clothing on the top half of his body and bleeding from a head wound. Officers attended and arrested the two suspects on suspicion of wounding. The victim, a man in his 30s was taken to hospital for treatment, but left a short time later.

Anyone who witnessed the disturbance or saw the injured man walking along the street but has not yet spoken to officers, is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident 12230042895.

Scarborough Burglary

Officers are appealing for witnesses and information about a Burglary at Holbeck Manor on Holbeck Avenue, Scarborough between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00pm on Wednesday 22^nd February 2023.

Police are yet to identify a suspect(s), so are requesting your assistance to help with enquiries, including anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity at the property on the afternoon of Wednesday 22 February.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email colette.calderwood@northyorkshire.police.uk

You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select Option 2, and ask for PC 1971 Colette Calderwood. Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number – 12230034177

Whitby Assault

Police in Whitby have issued photographs of two men they need to speak to in connection with an assault on a man in Church Street, Whitby at around 9.15pm on Saturday (25th February 2023).

The victim, who is aged in his 20s and from Leeds, had left The Fleece pub with a woman when they were approached by the men.

The victim said he was verbally abused and punched to the head before the suspects walked away.

The images of the two men were captured on the victim’s mobile phone and can be viewed on the Force website. Address above.

Scarborough Vehicle Theft

NYP is appealing for witnesses and information following a theft of a white Ford Transit, registration CY64 DZT from Royal Avenue Scarborough at approximately 3:00am on Sunday 26^th February 2023. The vehicle is distinctive with a rear brake light that is damaged and covered in sellotape.

If you see the stolen vehicle, or know where it is, please email Christopher.Southern@northyorkshire.police.uk. You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Christopher Southern.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230035724 when passing information.

Scarborough Assault

NYP is appealing for witnesses and information in relation to an assault that occurred on Falsgrave Road, Scarborough at 11:00pm on Friday 24th February 2023. A man was assaulted when crossing the road.

The two suspects are both described as men who were wearing work clothing which had paint on. One was wearing a black hoody and the other a blue top.

Police are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. Officers are particularly keen to identify the two suspects.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email levi.cox@northyorkshire.police.uk. You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select Option 2, and ask for Levi Cox.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230035101 when passing information.

Scarborough Robbery

Police have issued CCTV images of two men that they would like to speak to in relation to a robbery at Scalby Gate on Falsgrave Road, Scarborough at 5:00am on Sunday 5th February 2023.

The victim was punched and hit over the head with a bottle before he had cigarettes stolen from him. The images of the two men can be viewed on the Force website. Address above.

Anyone with any information is asked to email Jessica.Roebuck@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select Option 2 and ask for Jessica Roebuck.

Please quote reference number 12230021992 when passing on information.

“Lady of the Hills” Cold Case Investigation

Cold case detectives and Family Liaison Officers from North Yorkshire Police have completed enquiries in Thailand as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Lamduan Armitage (née Seekanya) in the Yorkshire Dales in 2004.

Lamduan’s body was found by walkers at Sell Gill near Pen-y-ghent, above Horton in Ribblesdale, on 20^th September 2004. Her identity was unknown and she became known as the “Lady of the Hills”.

Then, in early 2019, NYP’s Major Investigation Team’s Cold Case Review Unit achieved a breakthrough using a combination of media coverage and DNA testing. A BBC Online article about the case in January 2019 was brought to the attention of Lamduan’s parents in Udon Thani, north-east Thailand. They came forward to NYP believing the woman could be their daughter who they had not seen since 2004. DNA testing confirmed the woman to be Lamduan, who was a married mother of three living in northern England at the time of her unexplained death.

There were delays for the investigation team to receive legal authority to go to Thailand. They were also hampered by international travel restrictions due to the Covid 19 pandemic, meaning this part of the investigation has been put on hold for almost four years.

Between 13^th and 24^th February 2023, detectives and Family Liaison Officers visited Lamduan’s family in Thailand. During their meeting with Family Liaison Officers, Lamduan’s parents were handed a memorial book that was put together by NYP. This included photographs of the funeral service held in Horton in Ribblesdale in 2007, which was arranged and paid for by local residents.

Adam Harland, Manager of the Cold Case Review Unit, said:

“We wanted to show Lamduan’s parents the care and respect shown by the good people of Horton in Ribblesdale towards their daughter throughout the investigation, particularly during that long period of time when she was unidentified and known only as the ‘Lady of the Hills’.

Mr and Mrs Seekanya were deeply moved by this and they asked for their warm thanks and appreciation to be passed on to the residents of Horton in Ribblesdale.

North Yorkshire Police is aware of the widespread interest in this investigation which strikes at the heart of issues surrounding violence against women and girls in the United Kingdom, in Thailand, and around the world.

Being able to have these enquiries conducted in Thailand is an important stage of the cold case investigation as we continue to search for the truth about what happened to Lamduan almost 19 years ago in the UK.

We are doing all we can to seek answers and secure justice for Lamduan’s loved ones.

To ensure that the investigation and the path of fair justice are not compromised, we strongly urge the media and people using social media to avoid damaging speculation about this case.

After almost 19 years, during which time the community of Horton in Ribblesdale have shown respect and care for Lamduan when she was only known as the ‘Lady of the Hills’, it would be a tragedy if we were prevented from achieving this outcome due to damaging reporting and online speculation.

To make a report to assist the investigation, please call the Incident Room on 01609 643147 (put +44 before the number if calling from outside the UK) and leave a voicemail message including contact information if requested. Or email: coldcasereviewunit@northyorkshire.police.uk

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12170002439 when providing information about this case.

Contact

Anyone with information is asked to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Court Reports, Crime Prevention and Victim Support:

Scarborough Sexual Assaults

Jason Lee Booth, 51, from Lythe (near Sandsend) has been jailed for three years and six months after admitting two counts of sexual assault against two young women.

Booth initially denied the offences in police interviews and attempted to delay the justice process, only pleading guilty at the last minute when the trial was about to start.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nick Burton of Scarborough CID, said:

“It took great courage for the victims to come forward and I thank them for standing up to Booth and being brave enough to provide the evidence that led to his convictions.

Not only has he caused untold harm by sexual assaulting them, but he has prolonged their trauma by continuing to deny the offences.

I hope the guilty plea and today’s sentence gives the women some degree of closure on the matter and they can finally put this traumatic time in their lives behind them.”

NYP urges any victim of sexual assault or rape to please come forward, no matter when it happened.

If you’d like to report online, rather than speaking to an officer by telephone in the first instance, you can securely and confidentially report rape or sexual assault to us online.

Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

If you prefer not to speak to the Police, you can contact the North Yorkshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre, known as Bridge House. Call 0330 223 0362 or email bridgehouse.sarc@nhs.net.

If someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted and doesn’t feel able to speak to the Police yet, please report it yourself using any of the methods above. NYP will record the incident and help you to support the victim if needed.