Friday 18 October: Attempted rape of boy in Manchester Arndale
Police are investigating an incident which happened at the Arndale Centre in Manchester on Thursday 17 October 2013.
At about 4.50pm, police received a report that a boy, aged around 12-years-old, had been approached by a man in the toilets in the Arndale Centre. It was reported that the man had attempted to rape the boy.
A 68-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and is currently in police custody for questioning.
The boy left the Arndale Centre before police arrived and attempts are being made to trace him.
Detective Sergeant Mark Tiffany from the Serious Sexual Offences Unit said: “At this stage we do not have a clear picture of what happened as we have not been able to speak to the boy. We are urging him to come forward and speak to police in confidence so that we can find out what happened and get him any help and support he needs.
“If this is you, or you know who it was we would be very interested to hear from you.
“I want to reassure the public that this does appear to be an isolated incident but we are treating the report extremely seriously. We have already arrested a man but would urge the public to remain vigilant and if anyone knows anything about what happened or saw anything suspicious around 4.30pm please call police.”
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1911 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The incident took place in the Arndale
Friday 18 October: Police bring down three major North West drug networks
The main instigators behind three major North West drug empires have been jailed for more than 75 years following more than a years work by officers of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Organised Crime Group.
One of the gangs, which imported huge amounts of heroin to the UK from Pakistan has been completely dismantled from root to branch according to a police spokesman.
Mohammed Imran KhanMore than £415k of heroin was seized from one of the gangs, while police uncovered a number of items used to import drugs including children's coats, hollowed out books and bars of soap.
Detective Inspector Chris Mossop, from GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group, said: "Today marks the culmination of more than a year's work to bring some extremely determined and well-connected drug dealers to justice and I am delighted so many of these criminals are now starting lengthy jail sentences.
"Some of these offenders belonged to multiple criminal networks which shows the scale and determination of these criminals to build up their drug empires. However, the fact that we have successfully prosecuted offenders from three separate criminal empires shows the lengths officers from the Serious Organised Crime Group will go to in their efforts to unmask everyone involved in these drug empires and bring them crashing down."
Mohammed Imran Khan, 34, of Cotton Mill Crescent, Oldham, one of the 'Mr Big' operators of the network has been jailed for nine years and four months.
Sixteen people have been jailed in total with sentences ranging from 11 years to sixteen months.
Heroin stashed in soap
Thursday 17 October: Machete robbers jailed
Two men have been jailed following a robbery in Ashton-under-Lyme in which workers were threatened with a large machete.
Daniel Hamilton, 24, of Pottinger Street, Ashton and Mark Peter Simms, 31, of Qual Street, Oldham admitted to the robbery and were each sentenced to five years.
Just after 10pm on Wednesday 6 March 2013, Hamilton and another man entered a Co-Op on King's Road, Ashton-under-Lyme wielding a machete and demanded that workers handed over cash and a large quantity of cigarettes.
They escaped in a waiting red Subaru Impreza, driven by Sim.
The car was later found abandoned having collided with a white transit van.
CCTV of the robbery
Wednesday 16 October: Elderly Salford couple die in house fire
At around 2.15pm on Tuesday 15 October, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue services called the police to an address on Temple Drive in Pendlebury following reports of a fire.
A 89-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation is underway but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.
Tuesday 15 October: Man offers 13-year-old boy cash for sex act
Police have released this image and CCTV footage of a man wanted in connection for an incident which involved a teenage boy being offered cash in return for a sexual act.
CCTV From Metrolink StationAt around 11.35pm on Wednesday 12 September, the boy boarded a tram at the Clayton Hall Metrolink stop and was befriended by the man on the tram. Both disembarked at Droylsden.
The man asked the boy if he would like to go 'look at Gargoyles' in St Mary's church on Church Street. When they got there the man asked the boy to touch him sexually. When the boy refused the man offered him cash in order for him to touch the boy sexually. The boy again refused.
The man police want to trace is decribed as a chubby white man with a big nose, between 5ft 8in and 5ft 11in tall with closely shaven brown and greying hair, wearing black trousers, a light blue check shirt and a black coat.
Detective Constable Barbara Offord, said: “We have exhausted a number of lines of enquiry in our efforts to find the person responsible and I am now appealing for the public’s help to trace this man.
“The CCTV footage is of good quality and this man will be recognised by any friends, family members or work colleagues who see this appeal and I need them to call us."
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 9448, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Monday 14 October: Woman's decomposed body found in Bolton
On Thursday 10 October police were called to a wooded area near Manchester Road, adjacent to the River Croal at Raikes Clough following reports that a woman's decomposed body had been discovered.
Results from the post mortem established the sex of the body but has not yet been able to establish how the woman died.
The woman is approximately 18-25 years old, most probably white, 5ft 2in to 5ft 4in tall, wore size 12 clothing and had long black or dark brown hair fastened in a pony tail with a red elastic bobble. She also had a number of facial piercings and pierced navel.
Bat Necklace
The woman had been wearing a dark navy blue or black duffle style coat with fur trimmed collar, black tight fitting trousers, a tshirt with a diamante cat on the front, a black cardigan and size four to four-and-half shin-high black Doc Martin boots.
Within the woman's trouser pocket was a train ticket and timetable for the Edinburgh to Manchester Airport train line.
Police have released these images of items found on the body to see if anyone recognises the belongings.
Belongings
Detective Inspector Michael Fraser from Bolton North INPT said: "When we searched the body, we found a number of items on her that we hope can help identity her.
"We still do not know how she died but our main priority is to find out who she is. Extensive enquiries have taken place and we are currently looking at missing person files across Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK. However, so far, we have not been able to identify her and more importantly, inform her family that they have sadly lost a loved one.
"We believe her body may have been there for a few weeks or even months and I would ask anyone who may have seen a woman in this area who matches the description given to contact us."
Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 5599 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Raikes Clough, Bolton
Sunday 13 October: Teenager stabbed in Bury town centre
UPDATE: A 17-year-old man has been charged, the other two 17-year-old men have been bailed and the victim is making a good recovery in hospital
Police were called to the Wylde, Bury town centre at around 11pm on Saturday 12 October following reports of a serious assault.
Officers found a 16-year-old boy with serious stab wounds to the neck, believed to have caused by a broken bottle.
Three 17-year-old men have been arrested.
Detective Inspector Caroline Ward said: "Although we have made three arrests, I would urge any witnesses who may have witnessed an altercation between the teenager and a group to come forward. If you did see anything, please contact police on 0161 856 8222 or the independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."
Bury Town Centre
Saturday 12 October: Man punched and kicked to floor by masked men during robbery
At around 9.30pm on Friday 11 October a gang of masked men brandishing knives and bricks entered a house on Willow Way, Didsbury and demanded money and jewellery from a family including two young children.
A 29-year-old man returned home to find the burglary taking place and was beaten to the floor by the masked men as they left the house.
One of the men was described as being black, of muscular build, tall, had large eyes and nose and spoke with a local accent.
The other members of the gang are described as being white, had their faces covered and wore gloves.
Detective Constable Andy Langlands based at West Didsbury Police Station said: "This was a simply terrifying experience for the occupants. The sight of these men walking in to their home, armed with bricks and knives has obviously deeply affected them and they now feel unsafe in an environment they should feel comfortable. To make it worse, one of them was assaulted but luckily he was not seriously injured.
"We believe there were four or five men in total and from what the witnesses say, the man described as being muscular is the main offender responsible for the attack. I would ask anyone who may have seen these men before or after the incident to contact police on 0161 856 4596 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."
Willow Way, Didsbury
