Dale Cregan

Dale Christopher Cregan (born 6 June 1983) is a convicted English 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.

Murders and subsequent convictions

On 25 May 2012, Cregan shot dead Mark Short, 23, in the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden. In the same incident, he tried to kill three other men. On 10 August, he killed Mark Short's father, David Short (aged 46), at the latter's house in Clayton by shooting him and throwing a hand grenade at him. 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.

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 police station, admitting to killing Hughes and Bone.^[1]

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.^[2]

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.^[3]

In August 2013 it was reported that Cregan was on hunger strike at Full Sutton.^[4] He was moved to Ashworth Hospital in September 2013.^[5]

References