Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

Abubakir Iqbal, along with accomplices, carried out 10 armed robberies on cash-in-transit vans across Greater Manchester from November 26, 2018, to January 2, 2019, stealing more than £90,000. The gang targeted guards picking up cash from restaurants and shops in Oldham, Bury, Rochdale, Stockport, and Manchester, using weapons like hammers and a Stihl saw to access cash boxes. They were caught after crashing their getaway car while attempting an eleventh robbery at a Natwest branch in Halifax on January 31, 2019, where they stole £25,000.

Anas Khan, along with accomplices, carried out 10 armed robberies on cash-in-transit vans across Greater Manchester from November 26, 2018, to January 2, 2019, stealing more than £90,000. The gang targeted guards picking up cash from restaurants and shops in Oldham, Bury, Rochdale, Stockport, and Manchester, using weapons like hammers and a Stihl saw to access cash boxes. They were caught after crashing their getaway car while attempting an eleventh robbery at a Natwest branch in Halifax on January 31, 2019, where they stole £25,000. Khan fled the crash but was caught with help from a brave eyewitness.

Michael Hornung operated a sophisticated business from January 2014 to January 2017, selling approximately 2,700 unauthorised decoder devices via the 'NoHatsNoTrainers' account on CS-world website, allowing customers to illegally access premium subscription TV channels including pay-per-view events from providers like Sky, BT Sport, and Virgin without payment. The operation generated around £350,000 in profit, causing an estimated £2 million loss to media companies. He was arrested in February 2017 but absconded to Northern Cyprus, a territory with no UK extradition treaty.

Mohammad Asim Bashir pleaded guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism. He was identified as a close associate of the man who carried out the knife and car attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on 2 October 2025. Enquiries showed that Bashir and the attacker conducted hostile reconnaissance of the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham on 14 August 2025, with Bashir acting as driver for most of the 10-hour round trip. The pair discussed potential targets, made antisemitic remarks, and disposed of phones used for research, but cloud data and CCTV evidence linked Bashir to the planning.

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.

Ravinder Singh was the sole trustee of a charity used as a cover to facilitate illegal entry of Indian nationals into the UK. The charity sponsored individuals as ministers of religion, while funds were circulated through the charity's bank accounts to create the appearance of legitimate donations. Singh received large sums of money from migrants to assist their entry and continued stay. The Home Office opened a criminal investigation in 2013, and four individuals were arrested in November 2013. Singh was charged and admitted three counts of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration part-way through his trial at Manchester Crown Court. He was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment.

Peter Waterworth, 87, of Redbrook Road, Timperley, was arrested for an unrelated matter on June 23rd 2020. Devices seized from his home, including a laptop and mobile phone, contained manipulated indecent images of boys and girls. His internet history showed visits to sites relating to teenage girls and the presence of photo editing software. He pleaded guilty to four counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Richard Burdett, 35, from Liverpool, was convicted of arranging the importation of 16 pistols and automatic weapons, along with live ammunition and sound moderators, smuggled from the Netherlands into the UK via corrupt truck drivers. Weapons hidden in HGV lorry found by Border Force at Dover and Killingholme Docks in early 2018. Linked by DNA and fingerprints. Arrested in UK but fled to Netherlands on bail, extradited back in July 2019.

Conveyancing solicitor Ross McKay, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, working for Parker Birds law practice in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, carried out conveyances on a 'no questions asked' basis for 81 illicit property deals. This helped buy-to-let landlord Scott Rowbotham of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, build a £10.8m portfolio of 88 properties in the North West of England using fraudulent mortgage applications by lying about his income, with assistance from Tameside’s criminal underworld including Billy Black.

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.

Selcuk Pinarbasi, director of Eye Track Limited, was found to have allowed significant amounts of asbestos-containing materials to be disturbed during demolition and construction work at a site in Stretford in April 2019. Workers were exposed to asbestos debris, and an HSE investigation found the work was carried out under his direct control despite him having previously commissioned a survey that identified the presence of both licensed and unlicensed asbestos materials. He showed total disregard for workers' safety, prioritising profits over their welfare.

A Huddersfield barrister colluded with a client involved in a violent drugs feud to plan a revenge attack after the client had been shot in September 2021. She was recorded suggesting they find the person responsible for the shooting so that a revenge attack could be carried out. The feud involved multiple violent incidents since 2018, and the client was later convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence.

A man drove without a licence or insurance and struck a 70-year-old woman with a car he had taken without permission. He left the scene without reporting the collision and the woman died in hospital later that day. He later pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, with court documents stating the death was caused by accident.

Dusan Staruch, 29, from Bradford, was stopped by Border Force officers at Leeds Bradford Airport on 16 July 2014, arriving from Turkey. His suitcase contained nearly 2.5kg of methylamphetamine worth $1.75m hidden in the lining. He was part of a gang smuggling crystal meth from Turkey to Japan.

Dominic Baker stole a Toyota Prius parked in Gorton at around 4.20am on January 18, 2025. Police located the vehicle around 90 minutes later and pursued it. Baker failed to stop, drove at speeds over 70mph in 30mph zones and through red lights. The vehicle was stung twice before crashing, and Baker fled but was found in a nearby address and arrested while washing dishes. He pleaded guilty to multiple offences including theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, possession of a class A drug, and theft of three pedal bikes between September and November 2024.

A Portuguese national and another man organised an arson attack on a bedding supply business using Snapchat. They forced open shutters, smashed a door, and used accelerants to start a fire, causing around £300,000 of damage. CCTV captured the attack, including a third man fleeing while apparently on fire. Cabral was jailed for five years and four months.

Dean Clarke, from Salford, messaged the schoolgirl through an online video and messaging platform. Greater Manchester Police said Clarke was reported to officers by the girl's mother when she was 13 and he was 21. The mum discovered Clarke's messages on a laptop. Some of the messages implied they had had a sexual relationship as they also talked about pregnancy tests. In a powerful statement read out in court yesterday (May 14), the victim's mum described the toll Clarke's actions had taken on her daughter - leaving her unable to attend school and struggling to eat or sleep.

In early 2014, 21-year-old Darryl Howe met a 14-year-old girl from Nottingham online and sent explicit photos of himself, encouraging her to do the same. Later in August 2014, he met a 15-year-old girl from Greater Manchester over Blackberry Messenger, knew her age, groomed her into a sexual relationship. After police gave him a warning under the child abduction act, he continued contact, encouraging her to go missing from home, which led to his arrest. Police then learned of the sexual relationship.

On 16 March 2026 in Blackley, Francis Croft attacked an elderly Staffordshire bull terrier by kicking it, then repeatedly striking it with a wooden mop handle and an ashtray. The dog suffered a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury so severe that it had to be euthanised. Witnesses said the dog cried out before collapsing motionless and bleeding from the head. Croft later claimed the dog had bitten him, but the prosecutor said there was no evidence of a bite and Croft had not mentioned being bitten when speaking to police.

A Portuguese national took part in an organised arson attack on a bedding supply business after planning on Snapchat. The group forced open shutters, broke in, and started a fire with accelerants, causing around £300,000 of damage. Simoes was jailed for three years.

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.

In the early hours of Sunday 7th February 2017, the victim, 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 the victim against a wall and Leo Doyle assaulted him. The Wright brothers and Charlie Potts then carried the victim 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, 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.

Ian Rooke, 29, stabbed orthopaedic surgeon the victim in the neck from behind outside Altrincham Islamic Centre on 24 September 2017 at about 5:30 pm, leaving a two-inch wound. The victim, who was also the mosque's imam, was not seriously injured and discharged from hospital shortly after. Rooke admitted wounding with intent and possessing an offensive weapon but denied attempted murder. At a trial in March, a jury found him not guilty of attempted murder. It was agreed that Rooke had a personality disorder and had not taken his mood-stabilising medication for two days at the time of the attack.