Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

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.

Sebastian Pavel Baltatu was deported from the UK in 2020 but returned unlawfully. He was found living in Gorton, Manchester, after officers carried out routine checks and discovered he had claimed Universal Credit. Arrested in March 2026, he pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to five breaches of his sex offender orders and breaching his deportation order. He had previously been jailed for three years in 2019 for raping a child under 13.

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 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.

Police searched a house in Little Hulton on 14 December 2024 and found a black holdall behind a fridge in the pantry. Inside was a Zoraki Mod 917 handgun with a magazine of ammunition. DNA evidence linked the gun to Samuel Adesanya, and his phone contained messages, voice notes and images suggesting he had knowledge of the firearm.

In April 2025, Amanda Meadowcroft arrived at Manchester Airport from the Dominican Republic. Border Force officers stopped her and searched her luggage, finding 14 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of about £294,000 hidden inside suitcases. She was arrested at the airport and later pleaded guilty to importing cocaine into the UK.

Bradley Couzins orchestrated a scheme to import 14 kilograms of cocaine into the UK through Manchester Airport. Mobile phone evidence showed he directed travel and logistics for the smuggling attempt. After the courier was arrested, he attempted to evade authorities and was arrested in Blackpool in August 2025; during his arrest he tried to destroy evidence by smashing his mobile phone with handcuffs and assaulted an officer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alexandra Power, 40, worked as an administrative officer at South Sefton Magistrates Court in Bootle. She illegally accessed confidential information relating to search warrants targeting major organised crime syndicates. An audit showed she had accessed secret files 98 times within two days, and she was found with stolen documents when arrested. Her actions came to light after police arrested a drug trafficker in July 2023 and found confidential court details on his phone. She admitted perverting the course of justice and hacking into computer data.

Cameron Warburton, 30, of Salford, met the victim on a dating app. They exchanged sexual messages, pictures, and videos. The victim provided his phone number and address, expecting sexual relations. Warburton then demanded money for sex, and upon refusal, threatened to share the videos unless paid £250. After being blocked, he continued demands via email, warning the victim he would 'regret it'. Police were called, leading to arrest.

Rachel Blackburn-Stanley, 35, of Moston, partner of Anthony Hunt, helped by driving him to and from the group's drug-storage locations and to conduct two exchanges with Stanley Ainsley. She also drove Anthony Hunt to a safe house flat in Crumpsall where he met Lisa Prescott before police raids on October 4, 2024. The gang's operation involved a £1.8m wholesale drugs racket from March to October 2024.

On April 17, 2025, at about 2pm, Abdulrahman Omar Salim, 19, of no fixed address, was accused by the victim, who was working in his father's convenience store on Cheetham Hill Road, of throwing a rock at the shop window, causing a loud bang. After the accusation, Omar Salim threatened to stab the victim, reached into his jacket, broke free from restraint, and swung a knife, slicing the edge of the victim's hand and finger. Members of the public helped detain him until police arrived. The prosecution could not prove he threw the rock.

Alexandra Gregory, 37, of Oldham, stored drugs at her home. Police discovered cocaine and amphetamine worth up to £100,000. The enterprise involved 26 kilos of cocaine, 52 kilos of amphetamine, 154 tablets of MDMA, 390 grams of heroin, and over a kilogram of mixing agent.

Gerald David, 55, of Rochdale, partner of Jennifer Kenworthy, permitted the storage of drugs at their home as part of the enterprise. The group dealt 26 kilos of cocaine, 52 kilos of amphetamine, 154 tablets of MDMA, 390 grams of heroin, and over a kilogram of mixing agent.

Jennifer Kenworthy, 54, of Rochdale, along with her partner Gerald David, allowed drugs to be stored at their home. She requested a small amount of the cocaine. The operation handled 26 kilos of cocaine, 52 kilos of amphetamine, 154 tablets of MDMA, 390 grams of heroin, and over a kilogram of mixing agent.

Katie McCann, 28, of Harpurhey, stored drugs at her home as part of the enterprise. Police found a substantial amount of heroin worth up to £40,000 and six hydraulic presses during the search. The overall operation dealt 26 kilos of cocaine, 52 kilos of amphetamine, 154 tablets of MDMA, 390 grams of heroin, and over a kilogram of mixing agent.