A memorial service has taken place to mark the 10th anniversary of the murders of police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes who died in a gun and grenade attack executed by Dale Gregan.
PC Hughes, 23, and PC Bone, 32, were shot dead by Cregan on September 18 2012. Cregan, who was on the run at the time in relation to two gangland murders, lured the two officers to an address in the Mottram area of Tameside in Greater Manchester with a bogus report of a burglary.
During a memorial service outside Hyde Police Station this morning (Sunday September 18) wreaths were laid and a minute's silence was held at 10.53am - the exact time PC Bone and PC Hughes were murdered. Along with the officers' families and former colleagues, Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham attended, along with Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner.
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Before the memorial service, Chief Superintendent Phil Davies said: "Although 10 years has past, the emotion and grief is still felt on anniversaries such as this and reminds us of the dangerous situations officers face on a daily basis.
"On Sunday, we will come together with Nicola and Fiona’s families and honoured guests, to reflect on the passing of a decade since they made the ultimate sacrifice for the oath they took as police officers.
"Nicola and Fiona’s essence and presence remain with us and is tangibly felt by those who knew and worked with them, but also their colleagues who have joined the GMP family after their passing."
Cregan fired a total of 32 shots from his Glock handgun in the attack that shocked the nation, reports the Manchester Evening News. After PC Hughes had been felled with a shot in the back PC Bone tried to use her taser against Cregan in attempt to save her stricken colleague. Cregan fired 24 shots at the PC, one of which penetrated a gap in the side of her body armour.
Cregan then shot PC Hughes in the head several times, before letting off a hand grenade at the scene. Cregan then grabbed car keys to a stolen BMW and drove at speed to Hyde police station, three miles away, where he handed himself in.
Months earlier, on May 25, 2012, Cregan had walked into the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden and shot dead amateur boxer and fellow criminal Mark Short, 23. Cregan had wanted to kill his rival David Short, 46, Mark's father, who was in the toilet at the time.
On the morning of August 10 2012 Cregan shot dead David Short at his home in Folkestone Road East in Clayton. Cregan threw a grenade onto the body for good measure.
Cregan was handed a whole life term following his 2013 trial at Preston Crown Court. He had changed his pleas to guilty towards the end of his trial.
Cregan's associate Luke Livesey, then 28, and career criminal Damian Gorman, 38, known as 'Scarface', were found guilty of playing their part in the murder of Mark Short and attempting to murder three others in the pub. They had been in the car which ferried Cregan to the pub and took part in the clean-up operation afterwards. They were both jailed for life and told they must serve a minimum of 33 years.
Anthony Wilkinson was also jailed for life with a minimum of 35 years in relation to the murder of David Short.
Jermaine Ward, then 24, a drug dealer known as 'Jam', was found guilty of playing a part in the murder of David Short in Clayton. He had been Cregan's getaway driver - Cregan had jumped into the rear of the getaway car with David Short's blood all over his body and celebrated with a fist-bump with Wilkinson. Ward was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 33 years.
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