Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Mohammed Raji, 21, of Mansfield Road, Oldham, was involved in intercepted messages with Dominik Pelikan discussing a sinister plan to source a firearm and shoot another individual, stating 'Just need to hit him once' and 'Yh bro my man was giving me chattin so I showed him Im gunna be in gorton today'. Raji was arrested later and a black handgun and ammunition were found in a plastic bag behind his home.

Dominik Pelikan, 20, of Mayfair Gardens, Rochdale, travelled from Manchester to Bradford and attended a business premises known for supplying blank-firing firearms and weapons. He bought an Ekol Botan blank-firing handgun then returned to Manchester. On August 2, he bought 8mm of solid brass from a DIY store. Police swooped on his house later that day and found an iPhone, ammunition, hand tools and a barrel which was later confirmed to be from an Ekol Botan blank-firing pistol. The investigation revealed he had been in conversation with Mohammed Raji around a plan to source a firearm and shoot another individual. He bought 17 blank-firers between late December 2023 to April 2024.

Yamin Mahmad Iqbal Indawala picked up two passengers in his Volkswagen Golf from Salford Quays and drove at high speeds while inhaling gas from a balloon and playing loud music. On the evening of April 24, 2023, he lost control of the vehicle on Worsley Road in Salford, crashing into parked cars, including an Audi, and seriously injuring a man who was collecting belongings from his car. The victim suffered multiple fractures and other injuries, requiring over a month in hospital, and faced significant financial and personal hardships.

Daniel Stevens, 36, of Cow Close Grove in Leeds, travelled with his partner from Leeds to Manchester for a pleasant evening out and stay at the Hilton hotel. An argument broke out over her refusal to delete her social media accounts. Upon returning to the room, he grabbed her by the hair and ripped out her hair extensions, strangled her so she couldn't breathe, threw her into the TV, hit her over the head with a glass perfume bottle, and punched her in the face, leaving her unable to move her jaw properly. She collapsed in the lift, covered in blood, and was found by the hotel security guard. Stevens was aggressive towards the guard, punching him in the face causing damage to his eye and cheek, and shouted racist remarks. He also whispered threats to his partner as she lay on the ground.

Viet Quoc Tran, 22, obsessively planned and carried out a double stabbing attack on his aunt and her new partner in Manchester city centre on August 3, 2024. Jealous of her new relationship, he eavesdropped on their dinner plans at Cibo restaurant, travelled by train from London to Manchester Piccadilly, and tracked them using an app and by following them after their meal and drinks. Dressed in black with a balaclava, he sprayed the man with UV spray and stabbed him in the chest with a wartime bayonet gifted by his aunt, causing damage to the lung, liver, and diaphragm. His aunt attempted to remove the balaclava, resulting in her being stabbed in the thigh during the struggle. Tran fled, discarding the balaclava and knife, and returned to London by train. He was arrested days later. Both victims required hospital treatment; the man was discharged after three weeks, and the woman for her thigh wound. Prior to the attack, Tran had hacked into her phone and social media, sent threatening messages, and watched videos of Tristan Tate influencing his desire for revenge.

Craig Nixon, 36, from Rochdale, hid his phone to film girls on the toilet, taking videos and screenshots. Police found 'Spy Cam' documents in his bedroom. Victims felt uncomfortable, embarrassed, and angry, describing him as a predator.

On February 14, 2023, in Clarendon Park, Salford, Shannon Meaney, 34, of no fixed abode, called over the vulnerable 57-year-old victim, headlocked and threw him down, then kicked and stamped on him using his false leg, saying 'Go to sleep, you c***.' The victim suffered traumatic brain injury and now requires 24/7 care.

On October 28, 2023, at Arcadia Library in Levenshulme, Keith Smith was using a library computer next to a young girl and was seen viewing images of semi-naked women, including scrolling over several photos of a sexual nature with a woman whose breasts were concealed by a plant. He had an iPhone plugged into the computer. Confronted by a member of the public, he claimed he received a 'bad email' and denied the images were explicit before leaving. Later arrested, he admitted to a 'sudden urge' to search for an adult film star while supposedly taking pictures of gas and electric meters on a borrowed phone. He refused to provide the phone or details to police, breaching a 2011 SHPO condition to show internet history on request. He has three prior convictions for 21 offences, mostly sex offences.

On June 29, 2021, outside the Stocks Hotel in Worsley, during celebrations for England's Euros 2020 victory against Germany, Ewan Hughes, then 21, was approached by two hostile men due to a prior incident involving his friend. Fearing for his safety with a broken collarbone and arm in a sling, he pulled out a knife he was carrying, held it at waist height, and threatened to stab them if they approached closer. The men did not deter and armed themselves with a golf club, attacking him. A security guard intervened to restrain the group, feeling threatened by the weapons. Separately, on November 20, 2021, Hughes committed dangerous driving.

Adam Hussey, 25, of Croydon Drive, Newton Heath, engaged in controlling and abusive behaviour towards his girlfriend of one month, making derogatory comments about her appearance, becoming abusive when she socialised or used social media, pressuring her for money, and sending self-harm images to manipulate her. After separation on November 12, 2024, he harassed her by appearing outside a hospital during her appointment, threatening to 'punch her up' and saying 'Wait until I get my hands on you', forcing her to hide until early hours. He then called 69 times and banged on her door, hiding and confronting her as she tried to leave in a taxi, threatening her and the driver, before fleeing when neighbours intervened. The victim reported feeling isolated, insecure, and worthless, avoiding outings with her children.

Craig Tomlinson, 50, of Duchess Court, Motherwell, was caught transporting cannabis on November 12, 2024, when traffic cops pulled over his white works van on the M6 hard shoulder in Carlisle. The van contained two large boxes and a bag for life with 78 half-kilo bags of vacuum-sealed cannabis bush, valued at over £1 million. He was promised money for a 'driving job' and met a 'Chinese man' who loaded the boxes. Tomlinson relied on benefits and was a full-time carer for his son.

Xiaowu Chen, 56, of Stadium Drive, Beswick, was involved in a £1m cannabis distribution scheme. He stored a quarter kilogram of cannabis in his flat and delivered drugs to other couriers, including Craig Tomlinson. On November 12, 2024, officers searched his address, finding further kilos of cannabis in the house and garage rented to students. A search of a flat in Salford revealed 405 bags of cannabis weighing 180 kilos, £3,000 cash, and £6,000 in Scottish bank notes. Chen admitted transferring drugs but claimed no knowledge of others involved beyond 'High Don'. He advertised as a delivery driver online and used his red Mercedes for deliveries.

Troy Beckford, a 33-year-old prisoner at HMP Manchester serving life for the 2014 murder of the victim, conspired with prison officer Abigail Laidlaw to smuggle drugs including cocaine and cannabis into the prison over nearly a year from July 2021. He engaged in an intimate relationship with her, involving daily kissing and up to 40 communications per day, providing her with new phone numbers after cell searches. In exchange for the smuggled drugs, he offered gifts and cash payments. The conspiracy was uncovered through intelligence, cell searches finding mobile phones, and analysis of messages.

On December 30, 2023, at a New Year's house party in Longsight, Aaron Grant, 42, of no fixed address, made unwanted advances towards a woman and became aggressive. The victim challenged his behaviour and asked him to leave. An altercation ensued where Grant pushed the victim, who pushed back. Grant then stabbed the unarmed victim multiple times with a knife, inflicting six wounds. Grant stood over the victim afterwards and taunted him by saying 'look at you now'. The victim was treated at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Grant was arrested later that day.

On 7 June 2024 at Totties nightclub in Altrincham, Niall Peak, heavily intoxicated, pushed the victim down a steep staircase with both hands. The victim, who was using a crutch and wearing a surgical boot, suffered a broken neck and spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia. The unprovoked attack was caught on CCTV. Peak was identified and arrested the next day, refused to answer questions in interview. Victim experienced 15 cardiac arrests, multiple infections, and near-death episodes. He attended court in a wheelchair to read a victim impact statement, calling the attack cowardly and unforgivable.

Christopher Roper, 41, stored large amounts of criminal cash at the Wavertree Car Centre in Liverpool and arranged for the transfers of cash as part of an organised crime group laundering millions of pounds from drug sales between December 2019 and June 2020. He received a 4.5% fee for his involvement, with evidence from EncroChat messages under Operation Venetic.

Paul Duncan, 56, acted as a courier for the organised crime group, arranging the collection of money as part of laundering millions of pounds from drug sales between December 2019 and June 2020. Evidence obtained from EncroChat messages under Operation Venetic.

James Vaughan, 38, Donovan's brother-in-law, collected, stored, and counted money for the organised crime group laundering millions of pounds from drug sales between December 2019 and June 2020. He fled to Spain following his arrest but was extradited to the UK in March 2024 through collaboration between CPS, NCA, and Spanish authorities. Evidence from EncroChat messages under Operation Venetic.

Kenneth Kean, 59, acted as a courier for the organised crime group, arranging the collection of money as part of laundering millions of pounds from drug sales between December 2019 and June 2020. Evidence obtained from EncroChat messages under Operation Venetic.

Matthew Lawrence, a former personal trainer from Manchester, groomed and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old client at a gym. He befriended her by offering training, diet, and nutrition help, despite knowing her age. He exchanged over 3,000 sexually explicit calls and texts with her in one month, shared indecent images, and assaulted her in his locked car after taking her to the cinema. The gym manager raised concerns, but Lawrence resisted terminating her membership. He was arrested at London Airport on 1 September 2023 while attempting to flee for a job on a cruise ship.

On November 2021, Alicia Fairclough drove her partner's Audi A8 after attending a friend's wedding at Rivington Barn, as he was drunk. She reached speeds of 78mph, averaging 60mph in a 30mph zone, before crashing into a tree. The victim, 36, suffered catastrophic injuries and died. Fairclough was seriously injured and has no memory of the events. Their two children, who were also in the car, were taken to hospital but survived.

Jamie Kilcourse, a 21-year-old from Anzio Road, Liverpool, was stopped by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport on October 8, 2024, upon returning from a holiday in Bangkok, Thailand, in September 2024. He initially claimed to have packed his two large suitcases but later admitted he had not. The suitcases contained 64 vacuum-sealed packages of cannabis weighing 38.78 kilos. Kilcourse explained he took responsibility for transporting the drugs to cover a debt owed by his 18-year-old friend to 'some Scouse lads' on the island, believing initially it was money. He received no payment and expressed deep regret. He had left his job as a footballer for Tranmere Rovers to care for his cancer-diagnosed grandmother and grandfather, and the trip followed her death and his parents' split.

Brian Dolan, 35, of Lindleywood Road, Fallowfield, was in a brief relationship with the victim. After it ended, he told her he'd changed but minutes later threatened to 'smoke her' while banging on her door, saying 'I will kick your door down, I will smoke you all. Why do you think I have gloves on?' When asked if he had a gun, he confirmed he did. He continually messaged her teenage daughter to speak to the mother. Police were called while he raged outside her home and arrested him. The victim stated it had a massive impact on her mental health and she wanted to move out of Manchester.

On July 15, 2024, at 4am in Oldham town centre, Sebastian Jones, 37, punched a 41-year-old man after leaving a nightclub, causing him to fall, then continued assaulting him on the ground. The victim suffered serious head injuries and was in critical condition at hospital.

In May 2023, Xavier Carter, 30, from Larkspur Close, Lache, Chester, sent a friend request on Facebook to an account posing as an 11-year-old girl, operated by an adult woman from a paedophile hunter group. He engaged in conversations, lying about his age as 18, and made sexual references including booking a hotel room, buying alcohol and something sexy for her, discussing sexual positions, encouraging her to meet alone, and sending a picture of his genitals. He arranged to meet the 'girl' in Fallowfield later that year and was confronted by the group.

Khaleed Vazeer, 58, of Westwood Avenue, Timperley, was convicted for his role in a massive drugs conspiracy. Between August 2015 and September 2018, the gang smuggled at least 240 consignments of drugs hidden in deliveries of strong-smelling foodstuff. Vazeer helped set up a front company in the UK and assisted Dutch crime boss Barbara Rijnbout in opening bank accounts using forged documents. He supported and encouraged Rijnbout to run the Dutch side of the operation.

Sohail Qureshi, 64, was a key accomplice in the organized crime group led by Paul Green. The group imported massive quantities of drugs from the Netherlands, smuggling them in shipments of vegetables like onions and garlic. Qureshi worked closely with Khaleed Vazeer and Ghazanfar Mahmood to run the operation, using front companies and forged documents.

Former PC Joel Choudhury, based in Lancashire Constabulary's South Division, used his position to obtain naked photographs of members of the public. He took two naked images from the phone of a vulnerable 16-year-old girl, covertly photographed the chest area of a female crime victim in her living room, and captured lock screen images of a naked woman from an arrested ex-partner's phone. The offences came to light during an unrelated Anti-Corruption Unit investigation.