Police have fined an Oldham gym owner £1,000 after discovering the business was operating during lockdown.
GMP officers visited the premises last week after receiving reports that people were sneaking into the gym despite COVID rules.
Police were ignored when they turned up at the venue to investigate and subsequently forced their way in.
Two people were discovered inside – including one gym user who had attempted to evade officers by hiding in the toilets.
As well as fining the gym owner, GMP also issued £200 fixed penalty notices to each of the individuals caught inside the venue during the raid.
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Arooj Shah, Deputy Leader of Oldham Council and Cabinet Member for COVID-19 Response, said the council had received additional reports of other gyms in the area remaining open during lockdown, and that they would be looking into the matter further, “taking action if necessary”.
The councillor stated: “We know lockdown has been hard for businesses.
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“We don’t want to see any business shut, but the vast majority of those which have had to close have stuck to the rules and we’re thankful for that.
“People may say there were only two people inside but the government’s rules state that indoor gyms must close. The rules are in place to protect people and cannot be ignored.
“Irresponsible behaviour like this affects us all – it can add to the high infection rate which could stop us moving out of the strict measures currently in place.”
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Gyms and leisure centres must remain closed in all parts of the UK under current coronavirus legislation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the government is in the process of reviewing lockdown measures and a ‘roadmap’ to exit lockdown will be announced on February 22.
Over the weekend he told press that reopening schools on March 8 remained the priority, with non-essential retail and hospitality to follow.
Despite plans for a cautious reopening, some Conservative MPs are asking for fast removal of lockdown restrictions once the nine priority groups have been vaccinated.
Scientists and experts have continued to campaign for a more gradual easing of measures, warning the UK risks another wave if businesses reopen too quickly.
Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told the BBC: “It’s worse to open up, have another wave of pandemic, another bunch of hospitalisations and have to close down again than to be able to progressively normalise things.”
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Victim named and murder investigation launched after young woman is killed in Newton Heath stabbing
Emily Sergeant
The victim of a street stabbing in Newton Heath this week has been named for the first time as a murder investigation continues.
It comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance at around 2am yesterday (Thursday 15 October) on Dorking Avenue, in the Newton Heath area of Manchester, and when they arrived on the scene, they found a woman in her 20s with serious injuries that were ‘consistent with a stabbing’.
Despite best efforts of all emergency services involved, the young woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
As the murder investigation progresses, the woman has now been publicly named and a photo of her has been released for the first time.
She has been named as 26-year-old Alisha Samuels.
At this time, one man, aged 25, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a man and woman, aged 61 and 38, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and they all remain in custody – with officers continuing their enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
Alisha’s family have asked for privacy whilst they deal with the devastating loss of their loved one, GMP has stated.
“We are continuing to urge people who may have information in relation to this incident to please come forward to support our investigation and bring justice for Alisha,” the police force said in a public appeal.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has mobile phone, CCTV, or doorbell footage, is urged to call GMP on 0161 856 5464, or contact them via the Major Incident Public Portal here.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Featured Image – GMP (Family Handout)
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Former supply teacher jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A former supply teacher has been jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester.
Abusali Rahman – a British national of Bangladeshi ethnicity from Salford – appeared in Bolton Crown Court this week for his sentencing after first being charged with, and then pleading guilty to, several offences.
The offences are including, but not limited to, 12 counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (images obtained by upskirting), three counts of making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (making AI-generated images), and one count of attempting to meet girl under 16 following sexual grooming.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between December 2023 and June 2025, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Twelve girls have been identified in relation to the upskirting offences – aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the alleged offending – at seven high schools in three Greater Manchester boroughs (Bury, Bolton, and Salford).
GMP says it has remained in close contact with the schools, local authorities, and other partners throughout the investigation to ensure all appropriate support is in place for those who need it.
Additionally, the court also heard how Rahman amassed a collection of images of young girls, using AI and other methods to sexualise them.
The images numbered more than 300 in total, ranging from Category A to Category C classifications, and Rahman would post these on social media, often alongside humiliating and disgusting captions.
Rahman was sentenced to six years in prison, and will also be subject to a 20-year Sexual Harm Protection Order.
A former supply teacher has been jailed for child sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Detective Constable Lisa McGaffin, from GMP’s Bolton Child Protection Team, described Rahman’s crimes as ‘absolutely abhorrent’.
“My thoughts throughout this process have always been with the young girls who have been subject to such indignity,” DC McGaffin said following the sentencing this week. “Their welfare and support will always be a priority for us.
“While working as a teacher – someone who young children should trust and be safe with – Rahman repeatedly took secret photos for his own sick gratification, before posting images online which showed his total disregard for the girls’ respect and dignity.
The Manc -
14th February 2021 
