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| Manchester police killings: Dale Cregan was on bail | Manchester police killings: Dale Cregan was on bail |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man suspected of killing two PCs in Greater Manchester was on bail over a fatal pub shooting, police have confirmed. | |
| Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, were killed in a gun and grenade attack after apparently being lured by a hoax burglary report. | |
| Dale Cregan is being held on suspicion of their murders and two others. | Dale Cregan is being held on suspicion of their murders and two others. |
| In June, Mr Cregan, 29, was questioned over the shooting of Mark Short in a Manchester pub and released on bail. | In June, Mr Cregan, 29, was questioned over the shooting of Mark Short in a Manchester pub and released on bail. |
| Detectives are continuing to question Mr Cregan, previously described as Manchester's most wanted man, over the deaths of PCs Hughes and Bone. | |
| The police constables had been sent to investigate what appeared to be a routine burglary report in Abbey Gardens, Mottram, on Tuesday morning when they were attacked with a gun and grenade. | |
| Greater Manchester Police said it appeared they had been deliberately "drawn" to the scene. | Greater Manchester Police said it appeared they had been deliberately "drawn" to the scene. |
| In a statement, Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said there had been insufficient evidence available to charge Mr Cregan over the pub shooting and he had to be released. | |
| Mark Short, 23, was shot dead at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden, Greater Manchester, on 25 May. In June, Mr Cregan was arrested in connection with this death. | Mark Short, 23, was shot dead at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden, Greater Manchester, on 25 May. In June, Mr Cregan was arrested in connection with this death. |
| Sir Peter said: "It is absolutely normal in complex crime inquiries that when people are arrested there are occasions where there is insufficient evidence available for them to be charged. | Sir Peter said: "It is absolutely normal in complex crime inquiries that when people are arrested there are occasions where there is insufficient evidence available for them to be charged. |
| "In those circumstances suspects have to be released on bail as there are strict time limits covering how long suspects can be held in custody without charge. | "In those circumstances suspects have to be released on bail as there are strict time limits covering how long suspects can be held in custody without charge. |
| "That is exactly what happened in this case." | |
| The residents of Ashworth Lane, next to Abbey Gardens in Mottram, are a community in shock. | |
| On Tuesday they woke up to life on a normal street, only for that normality to be shattered by the murder of two police officers on their doorstep. | On Tuesday they woke up to life on a normal street, only for that normality to be shattered by the murder of two police officers on their doorstep. |
| Today, the road is cordoned off with police tape, a sea of media trucks has descended and a pile of flowers paying tribute to PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes is steadily growing. | Today, the road is cordoned off with police tape, a sea of media trucks has descended and a pile of flowers paying tribute to PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes is steadily growing. |
| At the end of the road, an off-duty officer who lives in the area, but did not want to be named, added her own floral tribute to her fallen colleagues. | |
| Fighting back tears, she said the deaths were "a real shame" and "terrible for the area". | Fighting back tears, she said the deaths were "a real shame" and "terrible for the area". |
| However, she said though it is "a bad thing that's happened, this could have happened anywhere". | However, she said though it is "a bad thing that's happened, this could have happened anywhere". |
| The community would rebuild itself, she said. | The community would rebuild itself, she said. |
| Mr Cregan was arrested when he walked into Hyde police station a short time after the incident. | |
| Sir Peter said he believed he had been "protected by a criminal conspiracy to harbour him", adding that the force was "fully determined" to investigate that conspiracy and bring those involved "to book". | |
| Two people from the Abbey Gardens house, a man and a woman, continue to be questioned. | |
| Sir Peter said it may have been one of the "darkest days" in the history of the police service. | Sir Peter said it may have been one of the "darkest days" in the history of the police service. |
| Describing the killings, he said it was "absolutely devastating.. it felt like just a nightmare yesterday... that we hoped we'd wake up from but of course we didn't". | |
| He said PC Bone, originally from the Isle of Man, was a "calm, gentle woman", an "excellent bobby" and had been in the middle of planning her wedding. | |
| He paid tribute to PC Hughes, from Oldham, describing her as a "chatterbox" and a "great bobby" who was "always smiling". | |
| PC Hughes's family paid tribute to their "beautiful child", who loved her job as a police officer. | |
| "Nicola always wanted to make a difference and, in doing so, she made such a big difference to everyone she knew. She cared about everyone, especially her colleagues." | |
| Miss Bone's father Paul has called for the death penalty for anyone convicted of murdering a police officer. | |
| The incident has prompted renewed calls for the routine arming of police. | |
| But Sir Peter said his force believed "passionately" that police should remain unarmed, despite the tragedy. | But Sir Peter said his force believed "passionately" that police should remain unarmed, despite the tragedy. |
| Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Hugh Orde also warned against a rush to routinely arm officers. | |
| "Guns don't necessarily solve the problem," he said. | |
| "You only have to look at the American experience. Many colleagues in America are lost without even drawing their gun at close ranges." | |
| The Greater Manchester force has also opened a href="http://www.gmp.police.uk/mainsite/cond.htm" >book of condolence for the dead officers on its website. | |
| Police said 2,600 messages had already been left, many from fellow officers from forces across the UK. | |
| Mr Cregan had been the subject of a huge manhunt after the murder of David Short, 46, Mark Short's father. A £50,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest. | |
| On 10 August, David Short was killed at his home in Folkestone Road East, Clayton, after describing his son's killers as cowards. He was found dead after an explosion was heard. | |
| Four men have already been charged in connection with Mark Short's murder and are due to enter pleas at Manchester Crown Court in November. | Four men have already been charged in connection with Mark Short's murder and are due to enter pleas at Manchester Crown Court in November. |
| A 33-year-old man and a 24-year-old man have been charged with the murder of David Short. | A 33-year-old man and a 24-year-old man have been charged with the murder of David Short. |
| Mr Cregan is now being questioned over the deaths of David and Mark Short, as well as the murders of the two police officers. | Mr Cregan is now being questioned over the deaths of David and Mark Short, as well as the murders of the two police officers. |