Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Emma Broome was involved in packing packages to be dropped by drone into HMP Manchester. She was in a relationship with a serving prisoner at the prison and exchanged messages about preparing packages, fishing line strength, and arrangements for drone drops. Messages dating back to November 2025 showed her organising packages and discussing items such as tobacco and cannabis. Her address was used as a meeting and preparation point before attempted drops.

Kian Sloanes was stopped in a van on Blackfriars Street in Manchester city centre with a co-defendant on 6 April 2026. Officers found a large drone in the back of the van, which he claimed he used to take footage of cities such as Edinburgh and Manchester. ANPR cameras showed the van had travelled from Sunderland to Manchester. The drone was linked to sightings around 200 metres from HMP Manchester. He became involved in the operation to alleviate a drug debt and was linked to the drone equipment used.

Aaron Pearcey was stopped in a van on Blackfriars Street in Manchester city centre with a co-defendant on 6 April 2026. Police found a large drone in the van. Investigations showed a drone had been spotted around 200 metres from HMP Manchester. Pearcey's phone contained incriminating messages coordinating drug drops into the prison, including instructions to a serving prisoner about retrieving packages and carrying out the drop at night. He had downloaded a drone flying app, and his phone showed flight events and a low battery warning on the evening of the arrest. He was involved in communicating with prisoners and helping to coordinate the delivery of packages into the prison.

While intoxicated by alcohol and drugs, Wallbank scaled the roof of a primary school in Salford, smashed windows with a concrete slab and brick, and entered the school. He followed the headteacher into her office while she called 999, said he was having a bad trip, and left staff terrified before fleeing and being caught by police.

Samantha Stowell, a prison officer at HMP Manchester (Strangeways), formed a relationship with a serving prisoner on Alpha wing and exchanged messages, explicit images and videos with him between February and August 2023. She received payments totalling around £1,200 from the prisoner. She admitted misconduct in public office between 13 March 2022 and 10 August 2023 and was dismissed from the prison service in August 2023.

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.

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.

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.

Daniel Hughes, a former Merseyside Police officer from Liverpool, repeatedly used police computer systems without authorisation between 2016 and 2019. He viewed intelligence and previous incident records relating to individuals involved in serious organised crime, including drugs and firearms offences. Between 2019 and 2021, he passed sensitive information about ongoing police investigations to other people. He failed to declare longstanding associations with individuals involved in criminality, maintaining contact through WhatsApp groups, social activities and trips abroad. Audits of police systems revealed sustained access to files he had no legitimate reason to view.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.