THE president of the National Gipsy Council has accused police in a North Yorkshire town of harassing travellers on a local site, in a case which is said to have racist undertones.

Hughie Smith has made a formal complaint to North Yorkshire's Chief Constable, David Kenworthy, over what he claims is intimidation and harassment by officers in Malton.

He has threatened to take his complaint to the Home Office if an in-depth inquiry is not carried out into police activities at Tara Park, outside the town.

Mr Smith, who has lodged the complaint on behalf of residents in Tara Park, claims:

residents are left feeling "intimidated and harassed" by what they feel is "an almost continual police presence"

one officer has subjected residents to what was described as "a third-degree inquiry"

an officer asked the site manager for a list of residents on the site

police removed a low-loader belonging to one resident, only to return it weeks later

police vehicles drive on and off the site at all hours of the day and night.

Mr Smith told the Evening Press that travellers at Tara Park did not want to make a complaint themselves.

He said: "One of the problems we have to face is that if a complaint is made the police seem to focus a bit more attention on that person. I can't stand by and see these people harassed."

In his letter to the chief constable, Mr Smith says: "We (the Gipsy Council) regard the actions of the police in Malton as having racist undertones, as a result of which we are now forced to bring a formal complaint of harassment against those responsible."

Inspector Neil Burnett, of Malton Police, said he was aware of Mr Smith's complaint.

He said: "At this stage a letter of complaint has been sent to the chief constable which will be addressed locally in Malton. The police do visit the site on a regular basis and for a number of legitimate policing reasons.

"The complaint from the National Gipsy Council in the form of Mr Smith's letter will be looked into."

Updated: 11:17 Friday, May 24, 2002