Dale Cregan
| Dale Cregan | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 June 1983 Tameside, Greater Manchester, England |
| Criminal penalty | Life sentence with a whole life order |
| Criminal status | Imprisoned |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Dale Christopher Cregan (born 6 June 1983) is an English convicted drug-dealer and murderer who is sentenced to a whole life order in prison for four counts of murder (including killing two police officers) and three separate counts of attempted murder, meaning that he will never be released from prison.
Murders and subsequent convictions
On 25 May 2012, Cregan shot dead Mark Short, 23, in the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden, Greater Manchester. In the same incident, he tried to kill three other men. On 10 August, he killed Mark Short's father, 46-year-old David Short, at his house in Clayton by shooting him and throwing a hand grenade at him.[1]
On 18 September 2012, Cregan made a hoax emergency call to the police. Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, constables serving with Greater Manchester Police, were mobilised to Cregan's call in Hattersley. He claimed that there had been an incident of criminal damage at his house.
When they arrived, Cregan shot them and threw an M75 hand grenade at them. Both officers were hit by at least eight bullets as Cregan fired 32 shots in 31 seconds. He later handed himself in at a local police station, admitting to killing Hughes and Bone. He was swiftly charged with these murders, and soon afterwards charged with the murders of Mark and David Short.[2]
During his trial, which began on 4 February 2013, Cregan was detained at Manchester Prison. The trial was held at Preston Crown Court, where scaffolding was erected to accommodate armed officers. Police snipers watched over the building from nearby offices. The daily convoy, carrying Cregan between Manchester and Preston, included two prison vans, police cars, motorcycle outriders and a helicopter. In total, 120 Greater Manchester Police officers were deployed daily. The total cost of the trial was in excess of £5 million.[3]
Cregan was convicted of all four murders and of three attempted murders in the Mark Short incident. Cregan was sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order on 13 June 2013.[4]
In August 2013 it was reported that Cregan was on hunger strike at Full Sutton.[5] He was moved to Ashworth Hospital in September 2013.[6]
References
- ↑ Thompson, Dan (15 August 2012). "David Short murder: Man held as armed police probing grenade attack seal off Droylsden street". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ↑ Father of murdered WPc says Cregan should hang
- ↑ "Dale Cregan’s Lancashire trial cost £5m". Lancashire Evening Post. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ↑ "Police killer Cregan jailed for life". BBC News. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ↑ "Police killer Cregan in 'hunger strike' protest". BBC News. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ "Police killer Dale Cregan moved to secure Ashworth Hospital". BBC News. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.