A former pub landlord has been jailed for 21 years after carrying out a series of sexual assaults on four young girls.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed today that Carl Marland – who was the former landlord of The Chequers pub in Ilford, London – was convicted of more than 20 offences in October 2021 after a trial at Manchester Crown Court, and was subsequently jailed for 21 years yesterday (24 May 2022).
Among the charges that Marland was found guilty of were three counts of rape, three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and secretly filming one of the girls while she undressed.
He was also found guilty of multiple counts of supplying class B and class C drugs.
The court heard how the 58-year-old would travel to Manchester from London most weeks from June 2020 to December 2020 to visit the girls – who were aged between eight to 16 at the time – to carry out his attacks, and he would groom them by giving them gifts of clothes and money, as well as drugs and alcohol.
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Marland was even found to have set up a bank account for one of the girls and transferred around £3,000 to her.
He would drive the girls around in his car, where much of the abuse took place, GMP said.
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Greater Manchester Police says it became aware of Marland when one of the girls’ mothers found inappropriate messages from him on her phone in November 2020, and detectives from GMP Rochdale’s Child Sexual Exploitation Team then worked closely with officers from the Metropolitan Police to co-ordinate Marland’s arrest on 27 January 2021.
Carl Marland was convicted of more than 20 offences in October 2021 after a trial at Manchester Crown Court yesterday / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Marland spent the majority of 2020 travelling from London to Manchester in order to commit these offences, some of which are the most serious offences against children,” explained Detective Constable Andrew Sanderson, from GMP’s Child Sexual Exploitation Team.
“These crimes have had a huge detrimental impact on his victims and their families, and he has essentially stolen their childhoods.
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“I would like to praise the victims’ bravery in reporting these crimes.
“Hopefully following this sentencing they can have some closure and begin to move on and rebuild their lives.”
Given the horrific circumstances of this sentencing, Greater Manchester Police is also keen to remind people who may know someone who has been raped or sexually assaulted that they need not suffer in silence, and they can report it to the police or a support agency so that they can get the help and support they need.
A number of services, including Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Greater Manchester Rape Crisis, and Survivors Manchester, are currently available to provide support across the region.
The simple hack that can save healthcare workers and teachers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
In fact, even those working in education can cut their costs, too.
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £500 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
As mentioned, education workers can also benefit from similar money off, with an extra £50 per person through the TUI x Discounts for Teachers partnership, as well.
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager for TUI, said in a statement: “Getting away is absolutely vital for wellbeing, especially for those working in high-stress healthcare and education roles.
“With the cost-of-living crisis still putting a strain on household budgets, we know how hard it is to stretch your pay to cover a much-needed family break. By unlocking these exclusive TUI deals, we hope to give our key workers the realistic recovery time they deserve without the financial worry.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes and teachers looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
New ‘cutting-edge’ cancer treatment to be rolled out on NHS from next week
Emily Sergeant
A new ‘cutting-edge’ cancer treatment is set to be rolled out on the NHS from next week.
Thousands of men with prostate cancer are to be offered high-powered ‘precision’ radiotherapy on the NHS to target the disease more effectively – helping reduce side-effects and spare them 15 courses of treatment.
The highly targeted SABR (stereotactic ablative radiotherapy) delivers radiotherapy to the tumour from many different directions to help reduce the risk of cancer spreading or returning.
SABR has been proven to be effective at far fewer doses than conventional radiotherapy.
Standard radiotherapy can often be a major burden for patients and loved ones, due to the substantial treatment and travel time involved, but SABR is typically delivered in just five doses within a fortnight, compared to at least 20 doses with external beam radiotherapy.
Thousands of men with prostate cancer are to be offered high-powered ‘precision’ radiotherapy on the NHS to target the disease more effectively, helping reduce side-effects and spare them 15 courses of treatment.
Around 17,500 men are diagnosed with low or intermediate risk prostate cancer in England each year and could be offered the option of SABR radiotherapy.
It is expected that the cutting-edge technique for localised prostate cancer will be offered at all 48 radiotherapy providers across England in the coming days – with the first centres making it available on the NHS from next week.
The roll-out could free up around 50,000 appointments for prostate cancer treatment each year, helping the NHS continue to bring down waiting times for patients.
NHS chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey, said the news will ‘transform’ treatment for thousands of men with localised prostate cancer.
“This cutting-edge approach will transform treatment for thousands of men with prostate cancer, helping the NHS provide far more powerful and convenient care to stop their cancer spreading,” Sir Mackey commented.
“Having been proven effective in keeping cancer under control, this technology will not only help reduce the risk of certain side effects but also the major ‘to-and-fro’ burden of hospital treatment, which can be really draining for so many patients and their families.”
The Manc -
25th May 2022 
