Dale Cregan Trial Concludes After 12 Weeks

Dale Cregan, who previously pleaded guilty to four murders, two of which where of two female police officers, has been cleared of a final charge of attempted murder, the BBC have reported.

During the 12-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Cregan entered a guilty plea in regards to the murders of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, David Short and his son Mark Short.

Luke Livesey, 28, and Damian Gorman, 38, were also found guilty of their part in the murder of Mark Short, who was killed in a shooting at the Cotton Tree Inn, Droylsden. The three men also faced charges of attempted murder for three others in the same attack, which they were also found guilty of.

And 24 Jermaine Ward was also convicted for murdering David Short, alongside Cregan.

It is understood the murders of the Shorts were the culmination in an 10-year family feud.

Cregan was cleared of the attempted murder of Sharon Hark, whose home was attacked with a grenade moments after the murder of David Short.

Going on the run for two weeks, Cregan lured the two PCs to a house with a fake report of a burglary.

34-year-old Anthony Wilkinson admitted his part in the murder of David Short, and 32-year-old Mohammed Imran was found guilty of assisting an offender.

The defendants will be sentenced at a later date.

(MH/CD)