Locked up in January: The criminals put behind bars in Greater Manchester last month
| Published date | 01 February 2021 |
| Publication title | Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England) |
The region's courts have given out hefty prison sentences for all manner of crimes last month with M.E.N. reporters there to cover the most serious.
An open, transparent criminal justice system is an important part of how our democracy works -so we make no apologies for devoting so much time to letting you know what happens in our courts.
These are just some of the court cases our reporters have covered in January 2021.
The man who stabbed a young man to death 26 years ago
The brother of a young man who died in a city centre knife attack 26 years ago has praised police for never giving up on the case after the killer finally faced justice.
New DNA techniques helped police prove Geoffrey Strike was responsible for killing 21-year-old Jason Comerford in 1994.
Strike, who is mentally ill, stabbed him in the neck in an unprovoked attack after Jason had been on a night out in Manchester city centre.
A court heard Strike may have mistakenly believed he was 'under threat of some kind' due to his mental health problems, but that Jason was 'entirely blameless'.
More than a quarter of a century later, Strike, who did not feature in the police's initial investigations, has faced justice.
A conviction was only secured after Jason's brother challenged the Crown Prosecution Service CPS after they twice said there was not enough evidence to charge the prime suspect.
Following a Manchester Crown Court sentencing hearing, Strike, who admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.
Strike, who at the time of the killing had 'discharged himself' from mental health treatment, lived just 250 yards from the scene of the crime and he was obsessed with knives.
But after taking the life of Jason Comerford, he escaped justice for nearly 27 years.
Strike was charged with murder in February 2020 -26 years after he killed Jason. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the week he was due to go on trial in October last year.
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The drug addict with picture of Corrie killer on phone who tried to murder two women 19 days apart -he attacked a gran 90 MINUTES after being bailed by a court
A drug addict who tried to murder lone women in two vicious knife attacks just 19 days apart has been handed a life sentence.
Jayden Hayes, 24, attempted to kill one of his victims just 90 minutes after he had been released on bail by magistrates following other alleged offences. The court had been provided with 'misleading' information, it was said.
He attacked 61-year-old Joy Clarke as she returned home from a chippy in Oldham, repeatedly stabbing her in the head, face and chest.
Then, about three weeks later Hayes struck in Oldham again in, trying to murder another woman by slicing her throat.
The 71-year-old had been walking to the shop.
On both occasions, Hayes was seen 'scouting' the area looking for victims.
Hayes, who suffered from drug induced psychosis, was said to have an 'unhealthy interest in stabbings'.
He searched for information about knife attacks online and had a picture of the Coronation Street character Pat Phelan on his phone, who was knifed to death in a plot line in the soap.
On Friday January 8, Hayes was given a life sentence, to serve a minimum of 14 years before he can be considered for release.
Hayes, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of attempted murder.
The driver who led police on a 120mph chase, drove on wrong side of road and turned lights out on M61
A man who drove 120mph on the M61 in a high-speed police chase has been jailed.
Aidan Sherlock led several officers on a ‘dangerous’ pursuit through Bolton in the early hours of December 4 last year.
The 26-year-old sped through four sets of red lights, reached speeds of up to 90mph in a 30mph zone and drove on the wrong side of the road.
The occupants of the Vauxhall Vectra threw ‘significant objects’ at officers – one believed to be a car jack – in a bid to get away.
One item struck a police car and caused damage to the window screen.
Sherlock, of Starkie Road, Bolton, appeared via video link from HMP Forest Bank at Bolton Crown Court.
Colin Buckle, defending, said Sherlock’s only mitigating factor was that he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
He also noted no one was injured during the incident.
Aidan Sherlock pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.
He was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment and had his driving disqualification increased to four years and nine months.
The architect jailed for bombarding ex-partner with hundreds of emails containing his own song lyrics
An architect has been jailed for bombarding his ex-partner with hundreds of drunken emails containing his own song lyrics.
Matthew Collins, 38, of Chatburn Road, Chorlton, breached a non-molestation order imposed at the family court four times in less than a year, Manchester Crown Court heard.
The order strictly prohibited Collins from contacting his ex-partner with whom he has a young son.
Neil Usher, prosecuting, told the court how the first time Collins breached the order in March last year he received a £300 fine.
He was then jailed for 8 weeks for a further breach in May, and again for twelve weeks following a third breach in September.
And just four weeks after he was released from that sentence, Collins was harassing his ex again, the court heard.
Mr Usher said the contact consisted of emails sent mostly sent in the evening.
Some were 'crude and distressing', he said.
The court heard Collins had previous convictions for possessing cannabis with intent to supply and driving offences.
Tom McKail, defending, said his client is a qualified architect and reached the age of 31 before he found himself before the courts.
His convictions since 2013, brought on by problems with drunk and drugs, represent a 'spectacular fall from grace', Mr McKail said.
Judge Cross sentenced sentenced Collins to two years in prison of which he will serve half before being released on licence.
"Thanks for that," Collins responded after being sent down.
The drug-fuelled speeding BMW driver who killed a teenage girl as she walked to school -then tried to blame her after driving off
A drug-fuelled dangerous driver who killed a teenage girl as she walked to school tried to blame the child.
Kevin Pryce, 45, who tested positive for cocaine and cannabis, claimed 14-year-old Mia Strothers had stepped out into the road before he hit her.
But Pryce was 'absolutely flying' while driving at 57mph in a 30mph zone, and was in a BMW which he knew had faulty brakes.
Pryce drove off, leaving Mia with injuries which would prove fatal.
After the crash, he told a friend that his windscreen was damaged because someone had thrown a 'brick' at it, then made enquiries with a garage about getting it fixed.
Pryce later handed himself in, but even when he appeared in court and pleaded guilty he claimed he wasn't driving as fast as he had been when he hit Mia.
Now Pryce, who has never had a licence, has been jailed for 10 years and banned from driving for life.
Judge Manley said no sentence could 'begin to mitigate' the loss of Mia.
The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years.
The judge said she accepted Pryce had shown 'some remorse', but said his claims that he had not been driving at 57mph added to the distress of Mia's family.
She therefore reduced the amount of credit he received due to his guilty plea.
Pryce was also told he was banned from driving for life, with the judge saying it was an 'exceptional' case.
Pryce, of Quail Street, Oldham, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without a licence and driving with no insurance.
The remorseless predator who sexually abused teenager after plying her with alcohol
A remorseless 'predator' sexually assaulted a teenage girl after plying her with alcohol.
Marek Swistak, 53, carried out a 'catalogue of sexual offending' against his victim.
On one occasion, she was forced to drink so much alcohol that she woke up unable to recall what had happened to her.
At Bolton Crown Court Swistak was jailed for 13 years.
Prosecutor Julian Goode told the court Swistak 'groomed' the girl before encouraging her to perform sexual acts.
As the abuse escalated, he sexually assaulted his victim and recorded her on his phone.
Swistak threatened the girl and told her that if she revealed the abuse, 'no one would believe her'.
The court heard Swistak would often summon the victim via text, leaving her 'haunted' by the sound of alerts on her phone.
Judge Walsh imposed a restraining order, banning Swistak from contacting his victim, and made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.
He will also be forced to sign the sex offender register for life.
The Greater Manchester Police officer who sexually assaulted young girl
A Greater Manchester Police officer who repeatedly sexually assaulted a young girl has been jailed.
Farooq Ahmed, 37, walked into a police station with a confession note before Christmas. He's now been jailed for two years.
GMP confirmed to the Manchester Evening News action was being taken in line with regulations to dismiss him from the force.
It's understood he remains suspended from duty.
Detectives said Ahmed's 'disgusting' abuse has had a 'profound' impact on the victim.
Ahmed, from Mossley Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, is believed to have served with GMP in the Tameside area for around three years.
At around 8pm on November 26 last year, he handed himself in at GMP's Central Park police station.
Ahmed appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, where he was jailed by judge Nicholas Clarke.
He was required to sign the sex offenders' register and the judge also passed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will last for five years.
GMP said Ahmed would be dismissed from the force at 'the earliest opportunity'.
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