Police takes action over harassment

Claims three people have cost force £400k

North Yorkshire Police’s most senior officer is going to court to get an injunction against three men the force says are waging “a campaign of personal harassment” that has cost the public purse more than £400,000.

Chief constable Dave Jones is among nine people who applied for an interim civil injunction against Peter Hofschroer, Timothy Hicks and Nigel Ward.

The force says that on February 9 citizen journalists’ Mr Hicks and Mr Ward, who contribute to a l ocal website, “agreed they would stop targeting the nine applicants pending the matter returning to court”.

No interim injunction was made against Mr Hofschroer, who police say “is currently in custody on remand for matters unconnected with this civil action”.

The case heard i n Leeds was adjourned pending an application for a full injunction, which is expected to be heard in April.

The force has been questioned over the significant l egal costs ac c r ued o n t he case but s ays i t has spent more than £400,000 dealing with what it describes a s “yea r s of unwarranted, harmful personal abuse” from the men.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement: “We are very pleased that the harassment of the claimants has stopped for now.

“We feel it is important that North Yorkshire Police gives its full support to these vic- tims, in their action to stop ongoing harassment against them as individuals.

“Police officers are used to dealing with difficult situations, they have broad shoulders, and they are certainly not above criticism.

“However, we are talking about years of unwarranted, harmful personal abuse, that ties up po l i c e t i me and which has already cost North Yo rk s h i r e Po - l ice i n excess of £400k to handle.”

In a statement Mr Ward and Mr Hicks said they had “properl y a nd ac c urate l y ” criticised the force over what they said was its refusal to arrest Jimmy Savile and former Sc a rb o roug h mayor Pete r Jaconelli.

Mr Ward a nd Mr Hicks denied any offence or harassment arising from our coverage of local issues.

“We are talking about years of harmful personal

abuse.”