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Police-killer Dale Cregan's mother cleared Police-killer Dale Cregan's mother cleared
(35 minutes later)
Police-killer Dale Cregan's mother has been cleared of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office during a manhunt for her son. Police-killer Dale Cregan's mother has been cleared of obtaining secret information from a police worker during a manhunt for her son.
Anita Cregan, 56, was accused of obtaining secret information from a police worker. Anita Cregan, 56, Kathryn Smith, 25 and Sean Booth, 31 all denied misconduct in a public office between 1 September 2011 and 9 September 2012.
Kathryn Smith, 25, a call handler with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and her ex-boyfriend Sean Booth, 31, were also cleared at Manchester Crown Court. At Manchester Crown Court, Ms Smith, a police call handler, was cleared of looking for and disclosing information.
At the time, Dale Cregan was the prime suspect in a double killing. Mr Booth and Mrs Cregan were cleared of aiding and abetting her to offend.
He was wanted in connection with the murders of father and son David and Mark Short and a £50,000 reward was on offer for his arrest. At the time of the alleged offences, Dale Cregan was on the run from Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
The prosecution alleged that Ms Smith, of Condor Close, Droylsden, used a police computer system while on duty to check developments in the search for the murderer. He was being sought in connection with the murders of father and son David and Mark Short and a £50,000 reward was on offer for his arrest.
The jury was told she passed the information to Sean Booth, who lived on the same street and grew up with Dale Cregan. The prosecution claimed that Ms Smith, of Condor Close, Droylsden, used a police computer system while on duty to check developments in the search for the murderer.
In turn, he then passed details on to Cregan's mother, the court heard. The jury was told she passed the information to her then boyfriend, Mr Booth, who lived on the same street and grew up with Dale Cregan.
The daughter of a police inspector for GMP, Ms Smith burst into tears and covered her face as the verdict was given. In turn, he passed details on to Cregan's mother, the court heard.
All three had denied a single count of misconduct in a public office between 1 September 2011 and 9 September 2012, Ms Smith by allegedly looking for and disclosing information and Mr Booth and Mrs Cregan by allegedly aiding and abetting her to offend. The daughter of a police inspector with GMP, Ms Smith burst into tears and covered her face as the verdict was given.
Outside court Mrs Cregan, of Sutton Drive, Droylsden, said: "I thank the jury for coming to their decision and it should never have come to court anyway in the first place.
"I feel sorry for Kathryn and Sean, they were only here because they were linked to me and my name is Cregan."
Dale Cregan was given a whole-life sentence in June for the murders of PCs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23.
They were shot dead by the fugitive when he lured them to a house in Hattersley by reporting a fake burglary.
He was also jailed for the murders of David and Mark Short.