Hartlepool man among three charged after West Yorkshire Police recover weapons and items of police uniform in car in Castleford

The defendants appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

A man from Hartlepool has appeared in court after being charged by police with weapons offences and having items of police uniform.

West Yorkshire Police are reported to have found several items of police uniform including vests and handcuffs in a car stopped in their area earlier this month.

Ross Brallisford, 31, Torquay Avenue, in Hartlepool, was one of three men arrested after officers stopped a vehicle in Castleford.

Among items alleged to have been recovered from the boot were police uniform, a police-style baton and an imitation firearm.

The investigation was passed to Cleveland Police following the arrests on Wednesday, April 2, and the suspects were later charged with a range of alleged offences.

Brallisford, together with Patrick Bradley, 35, of Bradford Road, in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, and Lee Baker, 33, of Redcar Road, in Thornaby, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

All three defendants are charged with possession of an imitation firearm in a public place, relating to an air gun, in Castleford on April 2.

They are further charged with possessing articles of police uniform, namely tactical vests, baseball caps, gloves and handcuffs.

Each also faces an allegation of possessing an offensive weapon in public in the form of a police baton.

Bradley is also charged with possession of an air weapon when prohibited.

Magistrates sent the case to Teesside Crown Court due to the nature of the charges.

All three men were remanded in custody until their next hearing in the crown court in May.