Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Police responded after Caleb Hanson was injured in an altercation. Officers found him smelling of alcohol and behaving erratically; he refused medical assistance and asked to be taken to an address in Swinton, Salford. An officer picked up his backpack, and its weight caused it to open, revealing a knife around 10 inches long in a black sheath. He was arrested and gave no comment in interview. He pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.

Amin Akhoondi, 22, drove at speeds of 98mph on 30mph roads in Wythenshawe and reached 128mph on the M56 as he tried to evade police on May 5. He went through red lights, drove the wrong way around bollards, mounted a pavement, and then entered Manchester Airport before crashing a Volkswagen Golf into a steel barrier at Terminal Two, causing an estimated £10,000 of damage. He was already disqualified from driving and suffered a significant spinal injury in the crash.

Gascoyne was a prison officer at HMP Buckley Hall. In early 2024 she formed an inappropriate relationship with a serving prisoner. On 28 March 2024 a routine search saw a drugs dog indicate on her as she arrived for duty; officers noted a silver heart pendant engraved with the letter 'D' and a second necklace bearing Arabic script. A search of her vehicle recovered a sealed card addressed to the prisoner, a ring and a mobile phone. Phone evidence showed messages between February and March 2024 in which the pair expressed love and discussed marriage; records showed 432 contacts over around six weeks.

While serving a prison sentence at HMP Buckley Hall, he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a prison officer between January and April 2024. He received cards, a necklace and a bracelet connected to the officer. He pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence and possessing a prohibited item in prison, and had a year added to his existing sentence.

While employed as a prison officer at HMP Buckley Hall, she formed an inappropriate relationship with a serving prisoner between 21 January and 16 March 2024. She sent cards and received jewellery connected to the prisoner. No sexual relationship or contraband smuggling was alleged. She was identified during an anti-corruption investigation and admitted misconduct in a public office.

While serving a prison sentence at HMP Buckley Hall, he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a prison officer between January and March 2024. He received Moonpig cards and a necklace connected to the officer. He pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence and possessing a prohibited item in prison, and had a year added to his existing sentence.

Mohammad Bashir planned a mass casualty attack on the UK Defence Academy in Swindon. On 14 August 2025, he and an associate travelled from Manchester to Swindon to carry out hostile reconnaissance of the academy. Bashir shared extremist material, discussed acquiring weapons including crossbows, and expressed a desire for martyrdom. He was arrested on his return to the UK and later pleaded guilty to preparing an act of terrorism.

Bashir conducted hostile reconnaissance at the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham on 14 August 2025, alongside the man who later carried out the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue attack in October 2025. He acted as driver for most of the ten-hour round trip while his associate made notes on the base's security arrangements. The pair discussed preparing for 'war', made antisemitic remarks, and later disposed of their phones. Investigators recovered cloud data showing internet searches for weapons, potential target sites, and individuals linked to the Israeli military, along with CCTV and audio of the men discussing attack plans.

Christopher Francis, 40, was the sole director of KYCA, a food and drink wholesaler. He received over £3 million transferred from Tariq Sarwar's assets just before a winding-up was completed, and on Sarwar's instruction made significant transfers to companies linked to the Sarwar family, including approximately £645,000 to TNS Properties and NEL Holdings. A further £748,980 was moved through other companies back to Sarwar's family business. The total £3 million was later declared void by HMRC. In 2021, Francis was disqualified as a company director for six years after failing to provide accounting records; two days before an HMRC interview he reported his vehicle stolen, later found burnt out with his account records lost. He pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Bilal Irshad was a senior member of an Oldham and Rochdale‑based organised crime group that dealt in wholesale Class A and B drugs and laundered the proceeds. Together with Mohamed Kayani, Irshad ran a sophisticated money‑laundering operation that channelled £500,000 to £2 million through business accounts, cash storage and structured transfers. The gang flaunted its wealth with luxury cars and European holidays. Irshad played a leading role in the financial arm of the conspiracy.

Sajjad Anwar was a member of a major organised crime group based in Oldham and Rochdale that was involved in wholesale supply of Class A and B drugs and sophisticated money laundering across England and Scotland. Anwar had a leading role in the money‑laundering network, directing others and managing the movement and concealment of criminal cash. The group was known for flaunting wealth, driving luxury cars such as Lamborghinis through Europe. An investigation by Greater Manchester Police led to the gang's dismantling.

Usmon Mahmood, 23, owned the Volkswagen Golf GTi and was a passenger while Uways Hussain drove dangerously. Mahmood aided and abetted the dangerous driving by filming himself and Hussain inhaling nitrous oxide as the car was being driven at extreme speeds. After the crash that killed the victim, he fled the scene and discussed covering up their involvement.

Uways Hussain, 20, drove a Volkswagen Golf GTi through a red light at over 130mph on Kingsway, Manchester, in the early hours of 9 March 2026, after inhaling nitrous oxide. He collided with a Volvo driven by the victim, who suffered fatal chest injuries and died at the scene. Hussain and his passenger fled without helping and discussed reporting the car as stolen. An emergency call from Hussain's Apple Watch alerted police, who arrested them nearby with discarded nitrous oxide canisters.

Mohamed Kayani was involved with an organised crime group based in Greater Manchester that supplied Class A and B drugs across the UK. Kayani worked alongside Bilal Irshad in a complex money‑laundering scheme using legitimate‑looking business accounts and structured cash movements, helping to launder up to £2 million in criminal proceeds. The gang was dismantled after a major police operation, and Kayani was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in May 2026.

On 29 July 2023, Finley Hayes rode a stolen black Honda 600cc motorcycle in Wythenshawe with Kyle Maher, 20, as pillion passenger. He drove through a red light at the junction of Hollyhedge Road and Brownley Road and collided with a Ford Focus. Maher was thrown from the bike and later died from his injuries. Hayes fled the scene, discarded his helmet, and falsely claimed he was the passenger. He was twice the drug-driving limit for cannabis. He was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while uninsured and unlicensed, aggravated vehicle taking, and aggravated vehicle taking involving a fatal accident.

Member of a Bolton-based gang that smuggled more than 150 million cigarettes into the UK, evading £41,609,720 in tax and excise duties. HMRC surveillance operation from August 2017 to April 2018 involved 15 deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018, with seizures of over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash.

Member of a Bolton-based gang that smuggled more than 150 million cigarettes into the UK, evading £41,609,720 in tax and excise duties. HMRC surveillance operation from August 2017 to April 2018 involved 15 deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018, with seizures of over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash.

Member of a Bolton-based gang that smuggled more than 150 million cigarettes into the UK, evading £41,609,720 in tax and excise duties. HMRC surveillance operation from August 2017 to April 2018 involved 15 deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018, with seizures of over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash.

Member of a Bolton-based gang that smuggled more than 150 million cigarettes into the UK, evading £41,609,720 in tax and excise duties. HMRC surveillance operation from August 2017 to April 2018 involved 15 deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018, with seizures of over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash.

Member of a Bolton-based gang that smuggled more than 150 million cigarettes into the UK, evading £41,609,720 in tax and excise duties. HMRC surveillance operation from August 2017 to April 2018 involved 15 deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018, with seizures of over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash.

Over three years, Aftab Zulfiqar subjected a survivor to mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The survivor reported him in October 2023 through the police LiveChat function, resulting in his arrest.

Christopher Thornton, 25, of Gresham Street, Denton, was employed by prisoners as a 'delivery pilot' to fly drones containing drugs and contraband into HMP Manchester (Strangeways prison). Packages recovered from crashed drones included cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, and nicotine, valued between £12,000 and £28,000 inside the prison due to inflated prices. Incidents occurred around November 2025 and December 2025, involving suspicious vehicles like a Mazda and a white Mini Cooper. Thornton was identified through police enquiries.

Matthew Brown, who owns and runs Carr Farm in Milnrow, Rochdale, was convicted of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control that caused injury. In April 2021, a 17-year-old woman walking past the farm on Tunshill Lane was attacked by a Tibetan Mastiff, suffering a large V-shaped wound to her arm. Brown was found guilty on February 5 after a trial and sentenced on March 5.

Mark Whitworth was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of sexual offences against five children as young as seven or eight. The abuse included grooming, sexual assault and rape. He was found guilty of 54 offences, including rape, rape of a child under 13, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child under 13, assault by penetration, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Karl Sharples was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of sexual offences against five children as young as seven or eight. The abuse included grooming, sexual assault and rape. He was found guilty of 12 offences, including rape, sexual assault of a child under 13, sexual assault, and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Omar Saif groomed girls aged 13 to 17, lying about his age to gain their trust and arranging secret meetings. He coerced several girls into sending indecent images and used mobile messaging to engage in sexual communication. A forensic analysis of his phone uncovered explicit chats and over 150 indecent images across categories A, B, and C. He was arrested in September 2023 after a tip-off from the parent of a 14-year-old girl, who reported that he lured her to a secluded spot in Rochdale and raped her without consent.

Firooz Wali Jan pleaded guilty to child cruelty in relation to injuries to the child's hand and neck inflicted with a lighter and an injury to the child's arm.