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| Dale Cregan charged with the murder of Manchester police officers | Dale Cregan charged with the murder of Manchester police officers |
| (4 months later) | |
| Police have charged a 29-year-old man with the murders of two police officers, as well as a father and son – and the attempted murder of four other people. | Police have charged a 29-year-old man with the murders of two police officers, as well as a father and son – and the attempted murder of four other people. |
| Dale Cregan will appear before magistrates on Friday. | Dale Cregan will appear before magistrates on Friday. |
| Earlier, police had called on two feuding crime families in east Manchester to end the dispute that allegedly led to the two police officers being shot in Tameside. | Earlier, police had called on two feuding crime families in east Manchester to end the dispute that allegedly led to the two police officers being shot in Tameside. |
| Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, died while responding to a report of a burglary at Abbey Gardens, on the Hattersley estate in Mottram, on Tuesday morning. A grenade was also allegedly used in the attack. A postmortem examination revealed both died of gunshot wounds. | Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, died while responding to a report of a burglary at Abbey Gardens, on the Hattersley estate in Mottram, on Tuesday morning. A grenade was also allegedly used in the attack. A postmortem examination revealed both died of gunshot wounds. |
| On Thursday evening, Cregan, 29, was charged with four murders: those of Hughes and Bone, and of Mark Short, 23, killed on 25 May, and his father, David, 46, killed on 10 August. Additionally, he is charged with attempted murder involving four others who were injured during the alleged murder of Mark Short at the Cotton Tree pub. | On Thursday evening, Cregan, 29, was charged with four murders: those of Hughes and Bone, and of Mark Short, 23, killed on 25 May, and his father, David, 46, killed on 10 August. Additionally, he is charged with attempted murder involving four others who were injured during the alleged murder of Mark Short at the Cotton Tree pub. |
| Nazir Afzal, the chief prosecutor for the CPS in the north west, confirmed the charges. Assistant chief constable Garry Shewan had said earlier in the day that it would be wrong to portray Manchester as being in the middle of a gang war. "This would overestimate what we have got here: clearly two feuding criminal families," he said. | Nazir Afzal, the chief prosecutor for the CPS in the north west, confirmed the charges. Assistant chief constable Garry Shewan had said earlier in the day that it would be wrong to portray Manchester as being in the middle of a gang war. "This would overestimate what we have got here: clearly two feuding criminal families," he said. |
| He went on to declare that "enough is enough", and that Tuesday was a watershed moment that had to be the end. Over the past decade, gun crime has fallen in Manchester year on year. The force has witnessed the largest reduction in gun crime anywhere in the UK. | He went on to declare that "enough is enough", and that Tuesday was a watershed moment that had to be the end. Over the past decade, gun crime has fallen in Manchester year on year. The force has witnessed the largest reduction in gun crime anywhere in the UK. |
| Shewan also said a 22-year-old man in Netherley, Merseyside, had been arrested under the Communications Act 2003 after an offensive Facebook page was set up after the officers' deaths. Merseyside police later said the man had been released on bail. | Shewan also said a 22-year-old man in Netherley, Merseyside, had been arrested under the Communications Act 2003 after an offensive Facebook page was set up after the officers' deaths. Merseyside police later said the man had been released on bail. |
| The arrest was thought to be linked to a Facebook page that appeared to praise Dale Cregan and also suggested he be awarded an OBE. | The arrest was thought to be linked to a Facebook page that appeared to praise Dale Cregan and also suggested he be awarded an OBE. |
| The Greater Manchester chief constable, Sir Peter Fahy, visited the scene where the officers were killed. He stood in silence alongside colleagues, heads bowed, among the bouquets left in tribute. He described them as "two wonderful human beings, two very dedicated officers". | The Greater Manchester chief constable, Sir Peter Fahy, visited the scene where the officers were killed. He stood in silence alongside colleagues, heads bowed, among the bouquets left in tribute. He described them as "two wonderful human beings, two very dedicated officers". |
| He said earlier he had spoken to both their families and recounted some of the kindness they had shown to victims of crime. And he said the families were grateful for the "massive show of public support". Fahy said: "The two families are just overwhelmed by the huge support they are getting right across the country." | He said earlier he had spoken to both their families and recounted some of the kindness they had shown to victims of crime. And he said the families were grateful for the "massive show of public support". Fahy said: "The two families are just overwhelmed by the huge support they are getting right across the country." |
| Shewan said: "In the last 48 hours, since the tragic death of our two officers, there has been a huge amount of support from the public through our website and on social media. | Shewan said: "In the last 48 hours, since the tragic death of our two officers, there has been a huge amount of support from the public through our website and on social media. |
| "However, there are also a small number of people who have posted malicious and upsetting comments online, causing outrage to many people and prompting them to ask us what we are doing to deal with these people." | "However, there are also a small number of people who have posted malicious and upsetting comments online, causing outrage to many people and prompting them to ask us what we are doing to deal with these people." |
| He said police took reports of this nature very seriously, as demonstrated by the arrest. | He said police took reports of this nature very seriously, as demonstrated by the arrest. |
| An online book of condolence has attracted many thousands of messages from wellwishers and a Facebook page set up by the force has been viewed by more than a million people. | An online book of condolence has attracted many thousands of messages from wellwishers and a Facebook page set up by the force has been viewed by more than a million people. |
| On Wednesday night, a member of the public set up a Facebook page offering cover so Greater Manchester police officers could attend the funerals of Bone and Hughes. | On Wednesday night, a member of the public set up a Facebook page offering cover so Greater Manchester police officers could attend the funerals of Bone and Hughes. |
| Shewan said he could not thank the public of Greater Manchester and the UK enough for their support and good wishes since Tuesday. It was, he added, the worst day in his policing career, and the force was still coming to terms with "the loss of two wonderful, first-class young officers". | Shewan said he could not thank the public of Greater Manchester and the UK enough for their support and good wishes since Tuesday. It was, he added, the worst day in his policing career, and the force was still coming to terms with "the loss of two wonderful, first-class young officers". |
| He said it would do everything it could to rid Greater Manchester of organised crime. | He said it would do everything it could to rid Greater Manchester of organised crime. |
| An unnamed source claimed in the Manchester Evening News that if you knew the right people, you could pick up grenades for as little as £50. | An unnamed source claimed in the Manchester Evening News that if you knew the right people, you could pick up grenades for as little as £50. |
| But the force dismissed claims that the gun used in the shootings had been supplied by Steven Greenoe, an American who was jailed in the US for importing gun components to the UK. | But the force dismissed claims that the gun used in the shootings had been supplied by Steven Greenoe, an American who was jailed in the US for importing gun components to the UK. |
| Greenoe, of Raleigh, North Carolina, bought guns in the US, broke them up and hid them in his luggage before travelling to the north-west of England on commercial flights. | Greenoe, of Raleigh, North Carolina, bought guns in the US, broke them up and hid them in his luggage before travelling to the north-west of England on commercial flights. |
| On Wednesday, a 28-year-old man, Stephen Garvey, who lives on the estate was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. | On Wednesday, a 28-year-old man, Stephen Garvey, who lives on the estate was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. |
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