4,000 fewer offences committed in county

CHIEF Constable Grahame Maxwell has highlighted a series of successes in high profile investigations as North Yorkshire Police has continued to drive down crime rates in the county.

Crime rates in North Yorkshire fell by 10.5 per cent between April and December last year when compared to the same period in 2008 – equating to a reduction in nearly 4,000 offences.

Mr Maxwell said: “Performance over the Christmas period has capped a fantastic calendar year for North Yorkshire Police in terms of crime reductions.

“In addition, we have seen positive results in several high-profile major crime investigations over recent weeks that are testament to the hard work and dedication of our officers and staff.”

He pointed towards the success in bringing a father and son to justice who were convicted of the kidnap of a woman and her two-year-old daughter in Skipton.

Anthony Scaife, 52, of Main Street, Long Preston, near Skipton, and his 26-year-old son, Matthew, were sentenced to a total of 22 years in prison.

Another major investigation has succeeded in seeing a man arrested and charged with the murders of two young jockeys in a blaze at a block of flats in North Yorkshire.

Peter William Brown, 37, is due to face trial later this year after Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson died in the fire at Buckrose Court flats in Norton, Malton, in the early hours of September 5.

In another success, three heroin dealers were jailed at York Crown Court for a total of more than 16 years after a two-year investigation by North Yorkshire Police.

However, other high profile investigations overseen by North Yorkshire Police have failed to make major breakthroughs during the year.

Murder squad detectives are continuing to try to piece together what has happened to the missing York University chef Claudia Lawrence.

Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen walking close to her home in York on March 18 last year.

[email protected]