26 criminals locked up in Greater Manchester in April

A terminally-ill pensioner who tied up a 95-year-old woman; a sexual predator who groomed a girl online; and a killer who stabbed to a popular teenager were among those locked up in Greater Manchester in April.

Our courts doled out hefty prison sentences last month, with dozens of criminals jailed for a range of offences. The Manchester Evening News, as always, was on hand to document the most high-profile cases.

Here is a round-up of the criminals locked up in our region last month...

Kellen Mongeme

Kellen Mongeme is serving 21 years in prison for attempted murder -Credit:GMP

A teenager already serving 21 years for attempted murder found himself back in the dock. Advertisement

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Kellen Mongeme, now 19, was one of four defendants in a 2024 case in which a man was ambushed in an unprovoked attack [1].

Michael Senghore was chased and shot in Gorton [2] on October 7.

Mongeme, 17 at the time, wielded a machete in the attack. Mr Senghore suffered such 'catastrophic' injuries his leg had to be amputated. He found himself back before a judge at the crown court, on April 29.

Three months before the attack on Mr Senghore, Mongeme was involved in another incident, Manchester Crown Court [3] heard.

He was on Heymarket Street in Ardwick - his listed address in court - on July 5 when members of a machete-wielding gang pulled up in a Mercedes.

Mongeme was the victim of a serious assault. In response, he pulled out a machete of his own Advertisement

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Mongeme was sentenced to a month for affray; and possession of a bladed article.

The judge said that term would be served concurrently to his 21 year sentence.

Read the full story here: Teenager serving 21 years for attempted murder in Gorton is back in the dock [4]

Callum Daniels

Callum Daniels -Credit:GMP

A serial burglar with a 'raging drug addiction', 37 year-old Callum Daniels left a trail of misery as he desperately tried to feed his habit.

He targeted a pharmacy, a Conservative club and cars in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside [5], between December 2025 and January 2026.

He pleaded guilty to 30 counts - 15 of vehicle interference; seven of burglary of a property; four of burglary; and four of theft of a motor vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement

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Recorder Ciaran Rankin told Daniels, of no fixed address, that his crimes 'should bring [him] shame'. as he sentenced him to five years at Minshull Street Crown Court on April 29.

Read the full story here: The 30 'normal' crimes of a 'drug user with a raging addiction'[6]

Dempsey Lewis

Lewis was a member of a group of four men who travelled to Trafford Park from Yorkshire and stole ?40,000-worth of Ted Baker body spray from a in October 2022 from a lorry whose drive had pulled into a lay-by for a sleep.

Lewis, of Arundel Close, Wakefield, was jailed for 20 months at Manchester Crown Court on April 28.. Greater Manchester Police [7] said a custody image of Lewis was not available.

Read the full story here: HGV driver was sleeping in Trafford Park layby when he was woken at 3am and called 999 immediately [8]

Kain and Kyle Corrigan

Kain Corrigan, left, and Kyle Corrigan -Credit:GMP

Twin brothers Kain Corrigan and Kyle Corrigan, 23, were jailed following a 'dangerous and disgraceful' brawl last December. The pair were celebrating being released from care and were drinking and taking drugs, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

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They gathered on a school car park, alongside family members where a fight broke out, during Kain Corrigan produced a knife, the court was told. Kyle pulled brother Kain away before he dropped the knife he was holding.

Judge Mark Savill asked the pair 'what on earth were you thinking?' as he passed sentence on them.

Kane Corrigan, of St Johns Court, Radcliffe [9], was jailed for a year and four months for violent disorder and possession of a knife. Kyle Corrigan, of Racecourse Walk, Radcliffe, was locked up for 12 months for violent disorder.

Read the full story here: Twins ended up in court after fight with family members in a school car park [10]

Eddie Carver

Drugs mule Carver, 33, was found to have more than 30kg of cannabis in his suitcases after being stopped at Manchester Airport.

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He was seen acting suspiciously in the arrivals hall at Terminal Two having flown to the UK from Thailand via Doha on February 8 this year. When he was stopped by customs officers Carver told them: "These are not my bags. I was told to bring them."

Carver, of Belle Isle, Leeds, West Yorks, was jailed for 27 months at Manchester Crown Court having pleaded guilty to the importation of a class B drug at an earlier hearing.

Read the full story here: He walked through Manchester Airport with his 'hood up' - then they searched his bag [11]

Adam Howe

-Credit:NWROCU

A registered sex offender was jailed again after police said they caught him looking at vile indecent images of children.

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Adam Howe, 38, of Love Lane in Heaton Norris, Stockport [12], pleaded guilty to three charges. He admitted distribution of indecent images, breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with sex offender requirements.

He was jailed by a judge at Manchester Crown Court [13] for four years and six months, with an extended licence period of nine years and six months.

Read the full story here: The 'deliberate and persistent predator' who posed a clear risk to children [14]

Vajay Chawla

Clinically depressed loner Vajay Chawla raped a vulnerable pensioner with learning difficulties after 'showing a friendly interest in her.' Advertisement

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Despite repeatedly telling him to stop, Vajay Chawla forced himself on the 72-year-old woman and subjected her to a terrifying ordeal on March 18, 2023.

After being found guilty of rape and sexual assault at a trial in January 2026, the 67-year-old, of Rectory Lane, Bury, was sentenced to seven years at Manchester Crown Court on April 24.

He will serve two thirds before being released on licence, and will also sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Read the full story: The 'clinically depressed' loner who ignored a terrified pensioner's pleas to stop [15]

Abbas Hussain

Abbas Hussain -Credit:Greater Manchester Police

A killer has been jailed after stabbing a 19-year-old to death with a 'Call of Duty-type' knife in a five-a-side football car park.

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Mohammed Isa Afzal was knifed by Abbas Hussain, then 19, now 20, at the Power League complex on Market Street [16] in Bury [17] last summer.

Manchester Crown Court [18] previously heard that Mr Afzal, who had been driving a Jaguar, had 'pursued' Hussain after seeing him behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Corsa. He had an 'issue' with someone in the Corsa and 'wanted to smash up the guy's car', jurors were previously told.

Hussain, of Windsor Crescent, Prestwich [19], was convicted of manslaughter after a trial. He was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon.

He was found not guilty of murder. He was jailed for seven years.

Read the full story here: Killer jailed after stabbing 19-year-old to death with 'Call of Duty-type' knife in Bury [20]

Tayumur Raja

Tayumur Raja, of Abbeyhills Road, Oldham, has been jailed for nine years for sexual assault in 2021 -Credit:Greater Manchester Police

A 'dangerous predator' who sexually assaulted a teenager was told by his victim 'you turned into someone bad things happen to' as he was locked up. Advertisement

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Tayumur Raja, from Oldham [21], has been jailed for nine years following the attack.

Police said he laughed when he was told about the allegation.

Greater Manchester Police [22] said the victim left a nightclub in Oldham before getting in a taxi at around 4.15am in September, 2021.

She got out as she didn't have cash. The teenager, then 17, ordered another taxi on her phone. She later got into a car believing it was the driver she had requested.

Raja was behind the wheel.

Raja drove to a car park before sexually assaulting the teenager. She managed to escape ran to a supermarket.

Read the full story here: Teenager on way home from night out thought she was getting in a taxi before she was sexually assaulted [23]

Bilal Ahmed

Bilal Ahmed -Credit:GMP

A drug mule caught with 36kg of cannabis at Manchester Airport [24] wanted to make 'easy, quick money'. Bilal Ahmed, 28, was stopped by Border Force officers after he got off a flight from Bangkok, via Doha, on February 12 this year.

He said the two suitcases he had with him were his and that he packed them himself.

When pushed, he said they weren't his.

Ahmed claimed he had been in a moped accident in Thailand and told by the owners of the vehicle he owed 30,000 Thai Baht - around ?700 - for repairs.

"He told them that he was unable to pay that and said they offered the opportunity to take cigarettes back with him to the UK to clear the debts," prosecutor Adam White told Manchester Crown Court.

The suitcases contained vacuum sealed packages with 36 kilos of cannabis flower valued at ?108,000.

He was jailed for a year and nine months.

Read the full story here: 'Quick and easy' money - quick and easy jail time [25]

Brandon Simcox

A drug dealer who threatened to harm teenager and his family over 'debts' has been sent to prison.

Brandon Simcox left the boy fearing for his safety when he sent him several messages claiming he would attack him and his relatives.

An investigation began after individuals known to the boy raised concerns that Simcox, 21, was exploiting the boy to deal drugs for him while also demanding money for alleged 'debts'.

Simcox, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to drugs and harassment offences in the Trafford [26] area. He was sentenced to 27 months in jail during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court [27] on Friday (April 17).

Read the full story here: Trafford drug dealer jailed for harassing and threatening teen over 'debts'[28]

Edwin Morrison

Edwin Morrison -Credit:Greater Manchester Police

Terminally-ill pensioner Morrison tied up a a 95-year-old woman in her own home in a bizarre bid to pay for his own funeral.

Morrison, 81, was told he will likely die in prison today after being jailed for seven years for the terrifying attempted robbery of Mary Morgan in Salford [29].

Morrison tricked his way into Mrs Morgan's home in Little Hulton, by claiming that he had information about bin collections. He then then strangled the pensioner, who was home alone, and bound her hands with cable ties as he shouted at her to 'shut up' while demanding 'give me your money', Manchester Crown Court [30] heard.

The robbery was only 'foiled by the fortuitous arrival' of Mrs Morgan's hairdresser.

Judge Peter Horgan told Manchester Crown Court that Morrison's crime 'beggars belief' after a long and productive life in which he had no previous convictions and worked full-time.

Read the full story here: Terminally-ill pensioner who tied up woman, 95, in her own home in bizarre bid to 'pay for his funeral' told he will 'very likely' die in prison [31]

Nathan Mellor and Remi Oates

Nathan Mellor -Credit:GMP

Mellor and Oats were part of a group which attacked and robbed several victims in Manchester city centre [32] in the early hours.

GMP said the victims were walking up Market Street [33] towards Piccadilly Gardens [34] at around 4:35am on September 9 last year, when they were approached by a man.

One thug - later identified as Nathan Mellor - snatched a person's iPhone from his hand and threatened to stab him if he didn't hand over cash.

The victim's friends bravely tried to intervene before a group of men began assaulting them. The suspect then ran off.

He was tracked down on Back Piccadilly. A phone case belonging to the victim was found on him.

Officers continued to trace the victim's stolen phone and at 6.25am that morning, stopped a bus at Piccadilly Gardens.

As passengers were getting off the bus, they also detained Oates, who was found with the iPhone and a knife on him.

Mellor, 30, of Mitchell Gardens in Manchester, was sentenced to 27 months behind bars and has had an indefinite CBO placed on him banning him from the city centre. Oates, 24, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 31 weeks.

Read the full story here: Violence and terror in Piccadilly Gardens [35]

David Jones

David Jones has been jailed for 18 years -Credit:GMP

Vile predator Jones, 66, from Moston [36], repeatedly raped his young victim during a sickening campaign of abuse.

He started raping the innocent girl when she was just a child. He continued to rape and sexually abuse her for a number of years, leaving her 'ashamed' and feeling 'dirty and disgusting', Greater Manchester Police said.

Jones, now 66, was arrested after his victim came forward to police in 2021.

He was found guilty of five counts of rape, sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, sexual assault and indecent assault and was jailed for 18 years on April 10.

Read the full story here: Paedophile rapist's brave victim issues harrowing statement as his sickening crimes are revealed [37]

Darren Bailey, Nathan Charles, Adrian Stephenson, Panashe Nyamariwata, Charlene Bellamy and Kamica Morris

Six people have been jailed for more than 60 years -Credit:GMP

The six were members of a gang who were part of a major ?1m drug conspiracy to deal cocaine, cannabis and MDMA across Greater Manchester

An investigation, which lasted two years, revealed kilos of Class-A drugs that had been flown into the UK from overseas and were seized when homes were raided by officers.

Dubbed Operation Image, it was a GMP-led investigation beginning in March 2024, when UK Border officials seized eight kilos of high-purity cocaine off a flight from Jamaica.

It was addressed to a residential home in Greater Manchester. Arrests were then made in May last year. They were sentenced at Bolton [38] Crown Court.

Darren Bailey, 47, of Lisburne Lane, Offerton, Stockport, was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to produce class B drugs, and conspiracy to supply class B drugs, and was sentenced to 19 years.

Nathan Charles, 36, of Highfield Range, Gorton, was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to produce class B drugs, and conspiracy to supply class B drugs, and was sentenced to 17 years.

Adrian Stephenson, 36, of Peers Street, Bury [39], was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs and sentenced to nine and a half years

Panashe Nyamariwata, 29, of Adelphi Road, Salford [40], was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs and was sentenced to six years.

Charlene Bellamy, 43, of Fairway Road, Oldham [41], was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs sentenced to five years.

Kamica Morris, 31, Hanworth Close, Manchester, was found guilty of conspiracy to import class A drugs and was sentenced to four years.

Read the full story here: Police take down ?1m crime conspiracy in Greater Manchester after two-year investigation [42]

Carlo Tritta

-Credit:Hampshire Constabulary

Tritta groomed a teenage girl on Roblox and then turned up repeatedly at her family home and let himself in through the back.

He first began speaking to the 14-year-old victim through the online gaming platform in September 2024 before going on to hound her with messages and calls in a 'campaign of fear'.

After connecting with the teenager on the website, Tritta then moved the conversation to other messaging platforms and maintained contact with her.

He led her to believe they were in a relationship, a court heard. He would send her gifts and takeaways, as well as repeatedly calling or messaging her. He also had indecent photos of her, Hampshire Police said.

When the victim's mother became aware, she then contacted police and Tritta was arrested in August 2025.

Tritta, of West Drive in Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of a child, engaging in sexual communications with a child, and causing a child aged 13-15 to watch/look at a sexual image

He was jailed for 28 months at Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday (April 9).

Read the full story here: Man preyed on Manchester girl, 14, on Roblox before travelling 200 miles to her home and turning on her mum [43]

Richard Smith

Richard Smith -Credit:GMP

A convicted sex offender, Smith offered cash to have sex with an '11-year-old girl', but didn't realise he was talking to undercover cop posing as the 'child's' auntie.

Smith, 35, said he'd pay said he'd pay ?250 to abuse the 'girl' during online chats with the undercover officer, before getting cold feet.

Smith, of Nixon Phillips Drive, Hindley Green, Wigan [44], pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence; and a breach of notification requirements, for failing to disclose his social media aliases.

He was sentenced to six years in prison and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for life.

Read the full story here: Convicted sex offender's hideous request to undercover police officer [45]

Jack-Leland Webster

On Wednesday 8 April 2026 at Manchester Crown Court, Jack-Leland Webster of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester has been sentenced to nine years and five months in jail for several offences including rape, strangulation and stalking. - He has also been given an indefinite restraining order. - Webster pleaded guilty to stalking before he went to trial where a jury found him guilty of rape and strangulation. Jack-Leland Webster of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester has been sentenced to nine years and five months in jail for several offences including rape, strangulation and stalking, while living in Manchester.

On Wednesday 8 April 2026 at Manchester Crown Court, Webster was found guilty of rape and strangulation. He pleaded guilty to stalking the victim at a previous hearing. -Credit:GMP

Paranoid rapist Jack-Leland Webster reigned terror on his victim [46], attacking and raping her, threatening to kill her and then stalking her while on bail, which involved creating tons of fake social media accounts.

After stopping her from leaving his flat, he issued a chilling threat to his victim as he strangled her, saying: "Don't make me kill you" before sexually assaulting her, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Webster, of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester, admitted stalking and was found guilty of rape and strangulation by a jury. He was sentenced to nine years and five months behind bars.

He was also given an indefinite restraining order.

Read the full story here: