Man ‘brandishes dead rat’ in York – and is banned from the city centre by police

A man who allegedly brandished a dead rat in York was thrown out of the city centre by police.

A witness said the man took the dead rat into town and was “standing outside bars and restaurants showing people his ‘friend'”.

He said Bettys complained to police and three officers chased the man down Stonegate and issued him with a dispersal order.

A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “North Yorkshire Police issued an anti-social behaviour dispersal order to a 61-year-old man from York.

“The notice required the man to remove himself from the city centre for a period of 48 hours.”

However, a member of the public in The Ainsty pub on Boroughbridge Road said the man later turned up there with the dead rat, and they also had to call police.