Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Christopher Dunn, a 32-year-old former police constable from Swinton, Greater Manchester, has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison for a series of serious sexual offences involving indecent images of children. Dunn, who was employed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP), admitted to making, possessing, and distributing indecent images relating to 57 victims aged between 13 and 44. These offences represent a profound betrayal of the trust placed in him as a public servant. The case came to light following Dunn's arrest on 3 February 2019 by GMP, after which an internal inquiry was conducted under the oversight of the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC). Dunn was dismissed from the force on 20 May 2019. He pleaded guilty to the charges at Manchester Crown Court, where the severity of his actions was highlighted by investigators. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Eales of GMP described how Dunn had 'outrageously breached' his oath to protect the public, emphasising that such behaviour was 'not representative of GMP, nor of the policing service as a whole'. Eales further noted the shocking impact of the case on victims, the public, Dunn's colleagues, and the investigators involved. In addition to his custodial sentence, Dunn has been placed on the sex offenders register and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for life. He is also barred from working in any law enforcement agency, having been added to a national police list. IOPC regional director Amanda Rowe condemned Dunn's actions, stating that he 'had no place in public office' and that he is 'no longer a danger to the local community' following these 'most shocking and serious of crimes'. The sentencing underscores the zero-tolerance approach to corruption and abuse of position within the police service, as overseen by bodies like the IOPC and HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim Ryan King, a 25-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome, was leaving the Pen and Pencil bar on Hilton Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After friendly banter and a 'rap-off', when two women stopped to watch, Arron Garner forced King against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried King into the road where they repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on him, causing a broken jaw and other serious injuries. The attack was ongoing until another group leaving the bar intervened and called for help.

Carl Hodgson met a 12-year-old girl on a dating app where she falsely claimed to be 19. He spent the night with her at his flat in Castlefield, Manchester, masturbated in front of her, filmed her wearing a body stocking (one moving image and three still images), shared indecent photos of her on social media, and bragged to friends describing her as 'filth' and claiming he 'nailed' her.

Benjamin Behan, from Inglesham Close, Wythenshawe, engaged in online sexual conversations over two days with a decoy account posing as a 14-year-old girl set up by paedophile hunters. He claimed to be a head chef at a pub, initially had innocuous chat about coronavirus, then turned sexual, suggesting they go to a hotel room, asking if she wanted to be naked in bed with him, and how long it would take her to get undressed. He was confronted at home, admitted to his stepfather 'Yes, I've done it again'. In police interview, he accepted sexual chats but claimed meeting idea was 'pure fantasy'. This followed prior possession of indecent images of children.

Bilal Ahmed was stopped by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport on February 12, 2026, after arriving from Bangkok via Doha. He had two suitcases containing 36kg of vacuum-sealed cannabis flower valued at £108,000. He initially claimed the suitcases were his but later said they were not.

Bill Platt, of Gambleside Close, Worsley, Manchester, was arrested on June 24, 2019, after police searched his home following intelligence about downloading indecent images of children since 1998. Officers seized 24 devices containing over 12 million images, including 15,690 Category A images (worst type, 1,024 videos), 15,753 Category B, and 837,729 Category C, depicting children from babies to 16 years old. He admitted the activity to police and provided PIN codes. Non-sexual images of children boarding a bus and 976 .22 bullets were also found.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim Ryan King, a 25-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome, was leaving the Pen and Pencil bar on Hilton Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After friendly banter and a 'rap-off', when two women stopped to watch, Arron Garner forced King against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried King into the road where they repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on him, causing a broken jaw and other serious injuries. The attack was ongoing until another group leaving the bar intervened and called for help.

On December 22, 2016, after his brother Anton punched Christopher Thompson, Aiden Oakes attacked Daniel Kelly, who was attempting to give first aid to Thompson. Aiden struck Kelly with a chair leg, fracturing his left arm. He had been part of the earlier altercation and fled the scene, but was arrested at home later that day.

Adam Howe, 38, of Love Lane in Heaton Norris, Stockport, a registered sex offender, was found to have frequent contact with another individual over an extended period. They met in person to engage in sexual activity while viewing indecent images of children. Communications showed distribution of indecent images, including material depicting sexual abuse of a child. A mobile phone seized in September 2025 revealed the offending. Arrested on 18 September 2025.

Adam Ali engaged in sexualised online conversations with undercover police officers posing as 13-year-old girls 'Becky' and 'Noemi'. In February 2019, he sent messages after stating he was 'horny', including a video and picture of his penis, and requested images. Contact ended after a few weeks. In April 2019, he sent sexual messages from the outset to the second 'girl', including a penis picture, calling her 'sexy'. Arrested in August 2019. He claimed roleplay with adults but admitted responsibility.

Adam Chowdhary was involved in the incident on 2 March 2019 in Hale Barns in which Yousef Makki was fatally stabbed by Josh Molnar. Chowdhary pleaded guilty to possession of a flick knife and received a detention and training order.

James Southwell, a former Greater Manchester Police officer, abused eight children (seven girls and one boy) over 17 years during the 1970s and 1980s. He invited primary school-aged children to his home in Eccles, Salford, where he subjected them to prolonged sexual assaults and regular beatings. One victim testified the attacks began when she was six or seven and continued until she was 18. Southwell was also convicted of using an instrument to terminate the pregnancy of a 17-year-old girl. The jury found him guilty of rape, indecent assault, attempted rape, and procuring an abortion on a minor.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim Ryan King, a 25-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome, was leaving the Pen and Pencil bar on Hilton Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After friendly banter and a 'rap-off', when two women stopped to watch, Arron Garner forced King against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried King into the road where they repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on him, causing a broken jaw and other serious injuries. The attack was ongoing until another group leaving the bar intervened and called for help.

Jan Pasulka, 34, from Plymouth, was the trusted lieutenant in a gang smuggling crystal meth from Turkey through the UK to Japan. He absconded during the trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Jan Stinic, 37, from Plymouth, was involved in transporting crystal meth as part of a gang that smuggled the drug from Turkey through the UK to Japan. He was on the same flight as Dusan Staruch when Staruch was stopped with drugs at Leeds Bradford Airport.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim Ryan King, a 25-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome, was leaving the Pen and Pencil bar on Hilton Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After friendly banter and a 'rap-off', when two women stopped to watch, Arron Garner forced King against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried King into the road where they repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on him, causing a broken jaw and other serious injuries. The attack was ongoing until another group leaving the bar intervened and called for help.

Kaden Hand, 20, contacted a 13-year-old girl via social media in April 2020, falsely claiming to be of similar age to gain her trust. He arranged to meet her in a park, where he engaged in sexual activity with her. After meeting, he complained of feeling unwell and went to a hospital, where staff became concerned about her age and alerted police. He was arrested. Investigations revealed he engaged in sexual activity with the girl multiple times and sent sexual messages to a 15-year-old girl.

Between April 18 and May 12, 2022, a gang of five men roamed wealthy areas in a blue BMW, using signal jammers and skeleton keys to steal 11 luxury Range Rovers and a Land Rover Sport worth up to £100,000 each from car parks, town centres and private driveways across Altrincham, Hale, Hale Barns, Alderley Edge, Poynton and Rochdale. The thefts often occurred in broad daylight. The gang was intercepted on May 13, 2022, with all five inside the BMW.

Joshua Molnar was involved in a fight with Yousef Makki in Hale Barns in March 2019, during which Makki was fatally stabbed in the heart. Molnar claimed self-defence at trial and was cleared of murder and manslaughter at Manchester Crown Court. He was convicted of possessing a knife and perverting the course of justice.

Josh Molnar, then 17, was involved in an incident on 2 March 2019 in Hale Barns, during which Yousef Makki, also 17, was stabbed once in the heart and killed. Molnar admitted perverting the course of justice by disposing of evidence and pleaded guilty to possessing a flick knife. After a trial, a jury cleared him of murder and manslaughter, accepting his claim of self-defence. The judge at Manchester Crown Court sentenced him for the two offences he admitted.

Kyle Ratcliffe, from Leigh, committed the offences just days before his 16-year-old son's murder trial began at Manchester Crown Court on November 27, 2023. Police charged Ratcliffe on January 17 2024, and he was remanded in custody. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Kevin Dwyer, a Greater Manchester Police officer, used a secret camera to film upskirt images of young women and recorded a couple having sex without consent. Between 1 October 2013 and 15 May 2014, he followed and filmed vulnerable women, often intoxicated, wearing high heels and short skirts in Manchester, Chester, and Warrington. Officers discovered significant numbers of videos on devices seized from his home, including a recording device found in his uniform trousers. He admitted to two counts of voyeurism and ten counts of outraging public decency at Manchester Crown Court.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim Ryan King, a 25-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome, was leaving the Pen and Pencil bar on Hilton Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After friendly banter and a 'rap-off', when two women stopped to watch, Arron Garner forced King against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried King into the road where they repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on him, causing a broken jaw and other serious injuries. The attack was ongoing until another group leaving the bar intervened and called for help.

Majid Rasoolzadeh, 46, from Alderley Edge, ran a kebab house in Timperley and led a gang that smuggled crystal meth from Turkey through the UK to Japan. The National Crime Agency uncovered the operation, which involved at least 17 trips. He absconded during the trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Mark Thomson, from Tameside, Greater Manchester, committed multiple sexual offences against two girls under the age of 13. The abuse involved exploitation over an extended period, with Thomson abusing a position of trust. The offences occurred in private settings within Tameside. Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation after disclosures from the victims, uncovering a history of predatory behaviour. Evidence included confessions and physical proof. The prosecution detailed how Thomson targeted the girls, leading to severe psychological harm.

Martin Yankey, a 34-year-old martial arts instructor at the time, groomed and had sex with a 15-year-old girl in care between February and May 2018 at his home in High Street, Atherton, and later Firs Road, Over Hulton. He took her from a children's home, gave her large amounts of cocaine damaging her septum and alcohol, leading her to believe they were in a relationship. Police visited his home multiple times after reports of her going missing, warned him she was 15, but he denied knowing her until she was found hiding in a kitchen cupboard on May 18, 2018. The victim suffered extreme sexual abuse, PTSD, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide attempts.

Mason Maxwell, born 16/07/1989, failed to notify officers of intended foreign travel on 3 September 2021, 24 September 2021, 4 November 2021, and 1 December 2021, breaching requirements imposed following his 2015 conviction for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was arrested on Clowes Street, Salford, on 6 January 2022.

McVey set up One Design & Build Ltd in February 2015, providing interior design, manufacture and project management services. He was made bankrupt in June 2015 after becoming liable for a debt from a previous failed business. He resigned as a director two days later but continued to run the company as a shadow director, dealing with third parties and receiving the highest salary, exceeding that of the sole official director. The offence came to light after the company entered voluntary liquidation in April 2016. The court found he had deliberately breached the terms of his bankruptcy prohibition.

Between April 18 and May 12, 2022, a gang of five men roamed wealthy areas in a blue BMW, using signal jammers and skeleton keys to steal 11 luxury Range Rovers and a Land Rover Sport worth up to £100,000 each from car parks, town centres and private driveways across Altrincham, Hale, Hale Barns, Alderley Edge, Poynton and Rochdale. The thefts often occurred in broad daylight. The gang was intercepted on May 13, 2022, with all five inside the BMW.