Christopher Day – 48, of Aston Avenue in Moss Side – was sentenced to over two years of jail time at Manchester Crown Court last Friday, after he admitted to and pleaded guilty to eight counts of burglary.
The court heard how police were alerted to Day by a concerned neighbour on a nearby road – who had seen a suspicious man gain entry to a student house on the morning of Christmas Day 2020 – and officers from GMP’s City of Manchester South division attended the scene.
In doing so, they spotted Day, who tried to evade police by hiding back inside the house, but was found in the kitchen of the property, before engaging in a foot chase with officers into a nearby garden and disposing of his jacket and pockets full of jewellery in the process.
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The officers arrested Day a short time later.
The arrest process was caught on camera and the footage was shared with the public by Greater Manchester Police on social media.
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#JAILED | Burglar jailed for over two years following Christmas Day stealing spree
Watch the moment Christopher Day, 48, from #MossSide was arrested after being caught stealing from a student house in #Withington on Christmas morning.
While continuing enquiries at the address following the arrest, the officers found that Day had been in eight rooms in the house, forcing entry into seven of them, leading the the 48-year-old to plead guilty to all charges of burglary.
He was sentenced to serve two years and four months in custody and ordered to pay a fine of £190.
Speaking on the sentencing, Police Constable Ben Pickup, of GMP’s Problem Solving Team (PST) – a team dedicated to working alongside local policing in tackling burglaries – said: “This was an all-round fantastic result; right from the neighbour contacting police, to officers catching Day as he tried to flee on foot, right to him being held accountable for his actions and brought to justice in court.
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“Day is a criminal who tried to take advantage of the occupants being away from their address at Christmas by entering the property and taking whatever he could, particularly jewellery.
“I am glad he will be spending next Christmas behind bars.
“This case exemplifies the endeavours of local officers working with the PST to catch any criminals who commit offences such as this,
“Burglary is a big priority of ours and we will do all we can to rid the streets of such offenders and keep the people and properties of Greater Manchester safe.”
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Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.