Bolton Crown Court Sentencing Results

On 4 January 2024, Zach Porter entered a store on Derby Street in Atherton, placed several chocolate bars in his pocket, and assaulted a staff member by striking them on the head with a bottle of wine when challenged. He attempted to steal cigarettes before fleeing. Later that day, he entered a wine shop in Atherton armed with a 5-inch flat head screwdriver, held it against a staff member's ribs, demanded the till be opened, and stole cigarettes and approximately £225 in bank notes before escaping. He was arrested later that day and charged with the offences.

Jake Anderson, along with another man, forced a girl into a car and drove her to her grandparents' home. There, they stormed inside, stole cash, cigarettes, and a mobile phone while holding her grandfather at knifepoint. Anderson later made threatening phone calls to the girl, accusing her family of informing the police and threatening to burn them out. Additionally, he assaulted two men in a separate incident on Hart Mill Close, Mossley, accusing one of stealing his bike and attacking both. He also engaged in dangerous driving, ramming a police car and attempting to flee.

Kai Horrocks assaulted his girlfriend on multiple occasions during their year-long relationship, including grabbing her arm, pushing her to the floor, forcing her down stairs, and headbutting her, which caused cuts to her nose. On November 14 of the previous year, he punched a police officer, PC Chapman, in the face and escaped custody before being recaptured. In February of the current year, he breached bail by contacting and assaulting the victim again, dragging her by her hair and threatening her.

Vijay Gaikwad, a 44-year-old former doctor from St Catherine's Gardens, Lowton, sexually assaulted three patients during medical appointments by inappropriately touching them, exploiting his position of trust. The offences occurred while the victims were under his care, leading to a thorough investigation by Wigan authorities.

Sean Paul Johnson, while on bail for 27 child abuse offences including attempted rape against a child under 16, carried out a savage assault on July 25, 2022, at the Berkeley Inn in Wigan. He bit off a piece of an innocent pub-goer's lip during an unprovoked attack, leaving the victim with broken bones, lasting scarring, and ongoing psychological impact. The sexual offences were predatory in nature and involved abusing a child.

Marc Berry, a serial domestic abuser, strangled his pregnant girlfriend by grabbing her around the throat with both hands and squeezing until she blacked out, just 10 days after receiving a suspended sentence for previous assaults against her. The incident occurred after he accused her of sleeping with someone else while he was in custody. When she regained consciousness, he was crying and said he thought he had killed her as her eyes rolled back. The following month, Berry smashed a mirror in the woman's home in front of her nine-year-old daughter during an argument; the daughter punched him to the ground, after which he punched a hole in the bedroom door. Despite a non-molestation order granted in April prohibiting contact, Berry was spotted outside her home, drove past her parents' home multiple times, and bombarded her with calls from a withheld number, forcing her to turn off her phone. The victim has since moved home and is suffering from not sleeping or eating properly. There is no medical evidence linking a bleed on the amniotic sac to the strangulation.

Paul Gandy carried out a repulsive sex assault on a young girl approximately 30 years ago, causing significant and ongoing psychological harm including depression, suicidal thoughts, and low self-esteem. Decades later, he indecently assaulted a nine-year-old girl by intentionally sexually touching her and engaging her in sexual activity while drunk, leading to her suffering anxiety, fear, withdrawal from school activities, and loss of sparkle in her eyes. He also failed to surrender to bail for his trial on July 5, 2021.

On August 14, 2021, Lewis Creighton, 27, of no fixed abode, along with accomplice Joshua Anderson, carried out four armed robberies in 20 minutes using a machete. They targeted High Spirits Go Local on Bradwell Road, Lowton, where Creighton struck a plastic screen causing injury to a worker; Mini Market on Newton Road, Lowton, where he split the shopkeeper's head open requiring hospital treatment; a store on Warrington Road, Leigh, stealing cash and cigarettes while smashing a vodka bottle; and Food & Drink 4 U on Green Street, Atherton, where he hit the shopkeeper multiple times with the machete and they stole the till. Creighton wore a balaclava, threatened victims with the machete, and demanded money aggressively. Police arrested him hiding in a Wendy house after the spree.

On August 14, 2021, Joshua Anderson, 19, of Cox Way, Atherton, along with accomplice Lewis Creighton, carried out four armed robberies in 20 minutes using a machete. They targeted High Spirits Go Local on Bradwell Road, Lowton, demanding money from the till; Mini Market on Newton Road, Lowton, where Anderson emptied the till and stole vodka; a store on Warrington Road, Leigh, grabbing pink gin and demanding the till be opened; and Food & Drink 4 U on Green Street, Atherton, where he attempted to open the till and pulled it off the shelf to steal. Anderson wore a blue mask, assisted in threats and thefts. Police arrested him after he fell out of a bush, claiming he had been jogging.

Stephen Wilson, 33, assaulted his girlfriend twice in Bolton in May 2021, after being in a relationship with her for around nine months. On May 6, at a house they were staying at, he jumped on her, strangled her, punched her causing her to lose consciousness, and covered her in vodka; she escaped in her underwear and was picked up by police. On May 10, he threw a ladder at her while she was outside smoking, spat in her nose and eye, and punched her three to four times, again knocking her out.

Hamza Ghafoor conspired to commit a series of burglaries across East Lancashire. He filmed himself inside stolen high-value vehicles and was linked to nine burglaries involving luxury cars. Drugs were also found at his home when he was arrested.

Connor Wooton was part of a masked gang on a quad bike and e-bikes who ambushed a car transporter on 22 July as it was moving a Toyota RAV4 that had been impounded by police two days earlier. Wooton stood by the passenger door and threatened the driver with a stick-like weapon while other gang members used a key to take items, including a mobile phone, from the Toyota. Police believed the items taken were linked to criminal activity.

David Smalley sexually assaulted a teenage girl twice between February 1 and 28, 2025. He also possessed category A, B and C indecent images of children on January 1, 2026, and took pictures under clothing on two occasions between April 4 and May 11, 2025.

On the evening of June 19, Duane Hallwood had been drinking at the victim's home while her children were asleep upstairs. He became angry and aggressive, told the victim to remove her ring, then placed both hands around her neck and squeezed, causing difficulty breathing. After releasing, he punched and slapped her, pinned her down and strangled her again. The victim contacted police on her Apple Watch. Hallwood then went to the kitchen, returned with a knife and scissors, held the knife to his own neck and said he would stab himself and make it look like she had done it. Police arrived and arrested him.

Ally Gahindo, 22, threatened to 'shoot up' Hideout Café in Farnworth after being asked to lower his music, then returned with a knife threatening to stab people. While on bail, on October 15, 2024, he caused havoc at a local mosque chasing someone for cash, threatening to kill them, blocking worshippers and hurling blasphemy; police found a 4-inch kitchen knife on him. Also involved in gang robbery of a 14-year-old’s Valentino bag in Bolton town centre.

Lucifer O’Malia, 22, strangled and assaulted a woman. He pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and assault by beating at an earlier hearing. Other charges including engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and causing actual bodily harm were dismissed when the prosecution offered no evidence.

Joshua Bourne, 32, was working as a doorman at a club in Leigh when he punched a man hard in the face on 21 August 2022. The victim had been involved in an altercation with other staff before being ejected, after which Bourne delivered the punch, as captured on CCTV. The victim was treated at Royal Bolton Hospital and Royal Blackburn Hospital, requiring a soft food diet for up to two weeks, and was left feeling anxious, angry and upset. Bourne had been released under investigation for drug offences after 15 snap bags of cocaine were found at his home on Ludlow Drive, Leigh on 28 June 2022.

Jake Farrell committed 17 offences in a single day in Wigan on Saturday 6 June, including eight counts of theft from motor vehicles, using stolen bank cards to commit fraud on two occasions, interfering with six vehicles with intent to steal, and carrying out a burglary in Ince.