Manchester Crown Court Sentencing Results

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Luke Wood, 29, a ketamine addict, attempted to smuggle 20kg of cannabis, valued at £61,350, through Manchester Airport on October 11, 2024, after arriving from Bangkok via Doha. He refused to unlock his suitcase initially but admitted it was full of cannabis, claiming he was forced due to substantial drug debts and threats to his family's lives.

Maria Branovici admitted a trafficking offence in connection with the exploitation of women in Greater Manchester brothels.

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.

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.

Mark Twigg, 43, and his partner the victim's mother, 37, were looking after untrained guard dogs including Cane Corso, American Bulldog, and Boerboel breeds at Carr Farm in Milnrow, Rochdale, while the owner was on remand in prison. They had signed a contract to care for the eight or nine dogs living in poor conditions with no clean bedding, surrounded by faeces, and not exercised. Despite warnings from an RSPCA inspector about the risk to their children, including a previous bite to their eldest son, they brushed off the concerns. Twigg was responsible for feeding, watering, and mucking out the dogs, and handled complaints when they escaped. On May 15, 2022, while Twigg was at work, the victim's mother was at the farm with the victim and their daughter. The victim entered the dog pen unsupervised and was fatally attacked by the dog Sid, a Cane Corso, suffering puncture wounds to his neck. He died later that afternoon in hospital.

Branovici admitted two trafficking offences and cocaine possession in connection with the prostitution network operated across Greater Manchester.

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.

Adam Howe, 38, of 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.

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.

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.

Antonino Precaj was separately involved in the production and supply of cannabis connected to the wider operation. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis.

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.

Vatafu ran a brothel for Marghiol while Marghiol was on bail, and was jailed for keeping a brothel and arranging or facilitating travel for exploitation.

Christopher Marshall was involved in two high-speed police chases. In December 2023, while disqualified, he drove at speeds up to 80mph, weaved through traffic, ran red lights and mounted pavements before police called off the pursuit. On 3 January 2025 he again drove off when stopped, this time with two young children in the car; he mounted a kerb, clipped a pedestrian's vehicle and forced a police officer to brake hard to avoid a crash. He was arrested days later and admitted the offences at Manchester Crown Court.

Coby Jepson committed 12 crimes including driving while disqualified and over the drink-drive limit, failing to stop for police, driving without insurance or a licence, criminal damage, shop thefts, obstructing a police sergeant, and offences in West Yorkshire involving criminal damage and theft in 2024. He was jailed at Manchester Crown Court.